fostering a rescued great dane
Foster homes are the lifeblood of our rescue. They take in surrendered Great Danes - sometimes with medical needs or behaviors that need modification - and give them the chance they deserve to find their forever family.
“It’s so rewarding being a foster home for the Upper Midwest Great Dane Rescue! I can feel good when my foster is adopted knowing UMGDR has several steps in place to provide each Dane with the best possible home for their specific needs. All the support provided to me by the members who share their wealth of information when I have questions or concerns has been invaluable! ”
the fostering process
Every Dane is different, and so is every fostering experience - but the typical fostering cycle follows these steps.
answering the PLEA
After being approved to foster for UMGDR, you will be added to an email distribution list of foster volunteers. When a Dane is surrendered into UMGDR's care, our Foster Home Coordinators will send an email to introduce the Dane and ask for a foster home to step forward to take him or her in. If you believe your home to be a good fit for the Dane's needs, respond to the email and discuss the opportunity with the Foster Home Coordinators. Once your offer is accepted, they will send another email, letting everyone know that you will be fostering the Dane. Some Danes have many interested foster homes while others have very few. Patience is key and the right Great Dane will come along for you to foster.
Receiving the Dane
Our Transport Team will work with you and other volunteers to transport the Dane to your home.
Living together
The Dane will be in your home for some period of time - it could be for as little as a few weeks or as long as several months, depending on his or her medical status and adoptability. During this time, you will get to know the Dane very well, and as you do, you will begin noting requirements and "nice to have's" in the Dane's future forever home.
You will also be the Dane's chief health and wellbeing ambassador, ensuring that he or she is getting the appropriate amount of medical care, exercise, training, and behavioral intervention with a trainer (if needed). Please note that, while you will be responsible for taking the Dane to a UMGDR-approved vet, the rescue will pay all costs incurred for veterinary care. Costs for food, toys, bedding, etc. will be your responsibility but can be considered donations for tax deduction purposes. If you do not have a Dane-sized crate or kennel, the rescue is happy to provide one for you to use while the Dane is in your home.
You will work with the Director of Fosters and Intake to prepare a description of the Dane for our adoption webpage. You may also be asked to provide photos, or UMGDR will send a photographer to your home to get pictures of the Dane. Once the Dane is on the adoption webpage, we will begin accepting adoption applications, and you will be notified of interested adopters.
Preparing for Adoption
Once the Dane is available to adopt, our placement coordinators will begin sending you information from interested potential adoptive homes as it becomes available. Keeping in mind the unique temperament and needs of the Dane, you will evaluate the applications to determine the best possible fit for the Dane. Once selected, you and the Dane will meet up with the potential adopter(s) in a home environment to give them a chance to get to know the Dane and to give you a chance to ask additional questions and observe their interactions with the Dane. Once you meet with and find a potential adoptive home that would be a good fit for the Dane and they agree after meeting the Dane, the adoption can take place.