About animal fostering
You provide love, care and a temporary home to foster animals, and we provide the food, supplies, and medical care they need. This is a flexible volunteer opportunity and foster placements can range from a few days to a few months.
Some important things you should know:
- Fosters, or lead fosters in a family, must be 19+ years of age and have housing where pets are permitted.
- BC SPCA foster animals can be fearful, have complex medical needs, or require specific behavioural support. Our training will prepare you and we’re here to support along the way!
- Fostering makes a direct impact on animals in need, can bring joy to volunteers, and strengthen family bonds. It’s also a great way to gain valuable skills for future careers in animal care.
Is fostering with the BC SPCA Right for You?
1. Watch the video
2. Take the quiz
This 10-question quiz is here to help you assess whether or not fostering with the BC SPCA is the right volunteer role for you.
START NOW
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3. Join our fostering team
The BC SPCA is always looking for dedicated people to help animals in need. There are a variety of programs for fostering animals across BC.
APPLY HERE
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Frequently asked questions for foster candidates
Why fostering matters
Fosters sign up to help provide temporary homes to animals in the care of the BC SPCA who are not yet ready for adoption or for pets requiring emergency boarding for reasons such as evacuation due to wildfires. Individuals who are labelled “foster-to-adopt” have been approved to adopt and provide a permanent home to a certain animal(s); however, the animal may still need medical procedures such as spay/neuter. As these procedures are paid for by the BC SPCA they must officially be under their care, so are referred to as ‘foster-to-adopt.’ Once that condition is met, the adoption will become official, and care/responsibility will transfer to their new guardians.
Fostering with the BC SPCA has many benefits. You help animals in need by giving them a safe place to stay, which helps them find forever homes. Fostering can bring joy and give you a sense of purpose. It’s also a great way for families to work together- teaching children responsibility and kindness.
Fostering helps animal centres make room for more animals and is a wonderful way to make a difference in your community while learning skills that could help in a future career with animals.
BC SPCA fosters, like all of our volunteers, get access to exclusive events, news, and perks, including discounts to the BC SPCA Shop and BC Pet Registry.
Many BC SPCA foster animals need special care. They might feel scared, have health problems, or need help with behaviour.
Animal centres can be noisy and scary for some animals. They need a safe and quiet place to recover from being sick or hurt, or to learn to trust people.
Newborn animals have under-developed immune systems and are at higher risk for infection. They also need socialization in a home environment and a calm space to have good experiences as they grow.
Fosters provide safe, caring spaces where animals can grow and prepare for adoption. Fosters supporting the Emergency Response and Safekeepers Programs help to keep pets with their families.
When animals stay in foster homes, animal centres have more space to care for animals in need. Fosters also provide temporary relief for one another, building communities of animal care.
Ready to join our animal fostering team?
APPLY HERE
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