Foster
Rescuing cats off the street is only half the battle; the other half begins with people like you. Fosters are a critical part of our organization and allowing us to rescue more animals in need!
Since Little Wanderers does not have a physical space to house those who we have rescued, we rely solely on foster families to provide temporary homes for our recuperating rescues.
What does being a foster entail? All that’s required is for you to open your heart and your home to a recently rescued cat in need as we work to find them a forever home.
So…basically, I just have to look after an adorable cat-in-need? Yes! All you need to do is hang out with the adorable cat-in-need. Give them some love and make them feel like part of the family. We have also prepared a list of
Do I need to be experienced? No! We are always in need of all levels of fosters! We have an amazing team of volunteers to help walk you through the process or questions you may have! You will be given a foster counselor, who will be your direct point of contact to help you along your foster journey.
Where is the best place to keep my foster animal? This is important! When you get your foster animal home, you need to start them off in a small space, like a bathroom or a crate. They need time to adjust to their new environment, learn trust and even get used to human contact. Timing for this will be different with all animals, so it can take patience, time, and work to get a cat socialized enough to where they can explore larger spaces of your home. The key is to start small and introduce slowly!
How long does a foster situation usually last? Animals can be in foster care for a week, a month, or sometimes even multiple months, so please be prepared to give that your foster love until a forever home is found. If you feel you may not be able to commit to any of these times listed, please ensure to place this on your foster application so we can place you with the right foster animal.
And what if we really bond and I want to provide them with a forever home? As a foster, we understand you may become attached to your foster animal and, well, that’s a WONDERFUL thing. So, if you end up wanting to adopt your new friend, you will be able to do so. We just ask you to let the team know in a timely manner so we can shift adopters focus to other cats looking for their forever homes!
This is sounding pretty great…but are there any, uh, “hidden fees”? No hidden fees. We cover all vetting and medical needs while in foster care, however, we ask that fosters provide food, treats, toys, carriers and supplies for their foster animal while in their care. Visit the ‘Resources’ tab for additional information on fostering
What does the application process look like? Submit your application through the link below and provide as much detail as possible for all questions. The team will process your application within a week of receiving it and set up a time to conduct a home check, before approving your application. Ensure your home is foster-ready before the call to help expedite the approval process!
What if I am outside of NYC? Not a problem! We have fosters in New Jersey and Connecticut as well. If you are willing to work with us to get your fosters to any of our partner vets for appointments or as necessary, we would love to have you apart of our foster community!
I see that screens are required to foster or adopt, but what if I do not have them? Easy! Purchase secure screens from Home Depot or your local hardware store. Screens are a requirement, and they must be secure for the safety of your foster animal.
Do I need a car to be a foster? No! We work with multiple partner vets in several areas and will try and make the appointments as convenient as possible for you. We do ask that you work with the team on getting your foster to the coordinated appointments via public transportation or car services. Always ensure the carrier is secure when transporting!
What are some fostering best practices? Great question! Visit the ‘Resource’ section of our site to view more details on being a great foster and helping your foster animal find their forever home as quickly as possible! The best thing to remember is that you are the foster animals best advocate in helping them find their happily-ever-after!
Alright, I think I want to Foster. What do I do next? Fill out the application below!
Ready to foster?
Please know our volunteers are working tirelessly to keep this organization going and we often receive several applications daily. To help ensure the quickest reply, we ask you fill out all fields within the application thoroughly and provide as much information as possible within your application. Our volunteers will be in touch as soon as we can and it can take up to a week to process your application, so please be patient and know we will get in touch with you.