Volunteering & Fostering
Are you looking to give back but are unsure how? Volunteer and/or foster with WGR! We are always looking for more help! The more volunteers, the more dogs we can save.
Volunteers for Woof Gang are the thread that keeps this organization together! We have some of the absolute *best* volunteers available. Woof Gang members help us run a smooth rescue by taking good care of their foster dogs and building relationships with potential adopters. They work hard to find the best fit for each animal. We are always accepting new applications for dedicated fosters and would love to have you on board with us!
Here's what volunteers are needed for:
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Fostering
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Transports
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Intakes (bathing, walking, cleaning, etc.)
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Events
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Facility Attendants
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Home Visits
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Fundraising
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And More!
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What we are looking for:
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Consistency: Our animals need this and so do we. If you can let us know what your desired volunteer schedule is we will try to accommodate this. We are asking for a commitment from intake to adoption when fostering.
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Dedication: We certainly realize that rescue work can often be unglamorous, thankless and grueling. Please let the thankful eyes of our animals be a continual reminder of how important our work is. The truth of the matter is that without our dedicated volunteers working together as a team, most of these animals would literally not be alive!! We hope you’ll find your experience to be just as rewarding as we do.
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Reliability: Not only are other volunteers relying on you, but most importantly the dogs are! When signing up to help we need an unwavering commitment.
FAQs
What are the requirements to foster?
All volunteers and fosters as well as family members must pass a background check. All animals in the home must be up-to-date on vaccinations. This includes the following : Rabies, DHPP and Bordetella. If you have an unaltered dog, you may only foster dogs that have already been fixed. All fosters must also pass a home inspection. If you rent you must have landlord approval. We do not require a fenced-in yard.
What costs will I incur as a foster?
The rescue provides food, a collar, treats, toys and miscellaneous supplies as needed. The rescue also has kennels that can be borrowed as needed. The rescue pays all pre-approved vet expenses.
How long is the commitment to foster?
Fostering is a commitment from intake to adoption. This can range from a week to a few months depending on the dog, medical needs, etc. The average time in foster homes is 2-4 weeks.
What if my foster does not get along with my dogs?
A slow introduction is always recommended. You should give your foster a few days to get comfortable with you and your home before introducing them. We have several resources as well as many experienced fosters that can help provide assistance if issues arise. We ask that you be willing to try training prior to asking for the dog to be moved to another foster home.
What if I am going out of town and I still have my foster?
We ask that you give us a minimum one week notice to find another foster home to take him/her while you are gone. The dog cannot be boarded privately or watched by anyone that is not registered as a foster or volunteer and gone through the proper checks.
What if I want to adopt my foster?
Fosters are always given the first choice to adopt. We allow our fosters the first five days before the dog is placed up for adoption if they would like to adopt. The normal adoption process is to be followed if a friend or family member is interested in adopting your foster.
What role does a foster play in the adoption process?
Fosters provide all information for the website biographies and social media postings. Once an application is received it is processed by our adoption coordinator for background, vet and landlord checks. Once this is approved the application is sent to the foster home to contact the potential adopter to answer any questions they may have. We believe the person with the dog living with them knows the best fit for their foster. For this reason we have our foster homes set up meet and greets and home visits to ensure the dog and the family are the perfect match!
Do I get to decide who and when I foster?
We take in dogs weekly, but do a large intake roughly every 2-3 weeks. We do not require fosters to participate in every intake, only when it works for them. Fosters will provide guidelines for any age, breed, or size restrictions they may have. The rescue will furnish all information known and allow the foster to determine the best fit for them.
Don't you want to keep them all?
This is probably one of the most asked questions and one of the biggest reasons we hear for not fostering. Sometimes it can be hard to give up your foster, but this allows you to continue to save more lives. Volunteers continuously say the feeling you get when you find the perfect match for your foster and see them with their new family is indescribable and replaces any and all doubts in your mind.
If this is you and you are interested in fostering and/or volunteering, please fill out one of the below applications! A member of our team will be in contact with you soon! Thanks!
If you have any questions specific to fostering and/or volunteering, please feel free to reach us at woofgangvolunteerswi@gmail.com
