FAQs

All Foster Families must submit a Foster Home Application from our website, available here. Foster Families need to have some previous experience with the animals they are applying to foster, and all people in the household must want to foster an animal. Homes need to be safe and appropriate for the type of animal to be fostered, and pets should be kept inside most of the time. All Foster Homes must complete the 3-step Foster Home Approval Process which includes the Application, Veterinarian Check, and Home Check.

• PACT will contact your veterinarian to verify that your pet(s) is up to date on shots and spayed/neutered.
• Make sure you let your veterinarian and give them permission for them to speak with PACT.
• If you have more than one vet, or a new vet, please provide us with both veterinarians’ information.
• If your pet has passed away, please provide us with your past pet’s name and the veterinarian’s information.
• Please let us know if your pet is under a different last name or under a partner’s or parent’s name.

Dogs:

1. Required core vaccines for dogs: Rabies, DAP; Canine Distemper Virus (CDV), Canine Adenovirus-2 (CAV-2), and Canine Parvovirus (CPV or parvo).
2. Combinations shots may be listed as DA2PP, DH

Cats

1. Required core vaccines for cats: Rabies, Feline Viral Rhinotracheitis (FVR), Feline Panleukopenia (FP), and Feline Calicivirus.
2. Combination shots may be listed as FVRCP
   1. All kittens should have received Feline Leukemia Virus (FeLV)

Yes, PACT requires all pets to be spayed or neutered, unless there is a documented medical reason why the pet is not altered. Some examples are heart conditions, too young or too old.

• PACT wants to ensure that a foster pet is being placed into a safe and secure home. In most cases, a home visit will be virtual. We just want to make sure that the animals will be safe, loved, and well taken care of in their foster homes.  
• When a PACT conducts a home visit, we are not looking to judge your decorating skills, or really the cleanliness of your house.  Although if the house is trashed, or really dirty, it’s not really a safe house for a new animal.
• We will look for things like holes in fences, fences that are too low, or other issues that may make them easy for the new animal to escape.  Windows without latches or screens that may allow escape.  
• Exposed wires or debris and trash in the animal’s possible new environment that may pose a safety hazard.  
• House plants that are poisonous to animals that aren’t out of reach.
• We also like to see where the animal will be kept, where other animals in the household are kept, and where exercised. 

You will be contacted by a member of the PACT team to sign up for a home visit. You can pick a time that is convenient for you.
The Virtual Home visits can be conducted via Zoom, Facetime, Android Duo, or Google Meet. Please let PACT’s representative know which you prefer or if you need help with technology.
For mobility purposes, use a cell phone, tablet, or laptop with a working camera.
At the selected time you will log on, we suggest you log on a few minutes early to make sure the settings are correct, and you can connect.

• The PACT representative will go over PACT’s foster programs.
• We will then ask for a tour of your home, we would like to see all areas the foster pet would have access to, including the yard. We would also like to see your pets and where, if applicable, the crates are kept.
• Then you have an opportunity to ask any questions you may have.
• The entire visit will take approximately 20-30 mins.

• Pet-proofing a home is important for new Foster Families. Check that your house plants are not poisonous to animals or move them out of reach. Keep medications and chemicals on high shelves or in latched cabinets. Cover trash cans. Block any small spaces, nooks, or holes in walls, cabinets, or behind your washer/dryer. Put shoes, laundry, string/craft items, and children’s toys behind cabinet doors. Make sure all cords are out of the pet’s reach or have a cord cover. If you have stairs, consider a pet gate to prevent falls or unwanted excursions. Finally, if you are fostering a dog with a large tail or a cat, consider putting fragile knick-knacks away so they are not knocked over.

• Congratulations, at this point you have become part of our PACT foster family community.
• Your household will now be added to our growing database of approved fosters.
• We will ask you to keep an eye on our website and social media to see if there are any pets you might like to foster.

If you are interested in a specific pet, please read the pet’s full bio on our website. If you think the pet would be a suitable match for your household, please reach out to the coordinator listed and let them know.  

Once it is determined that the household is a match, the PACT representative will forward your contact information to the owner. The owner will then reach out to you and you will discuss the pet’s personality, routine, and other care needs, as well as your household’s dynamics and routines. If possible, we highly recommend a meet and greet. Once the meet and greet have been completed and you both think it will be a good fit, PACT must be notified, and we will send out a Foster Agreement for signatures.

NEVER ACCEPT A PET WITHOUT A SIGNED FOSTER AGREEMENT IN PLACE.

• Sometimes due to distance or other complications a meet and greet cannot be completed prior to drop-off.
• Many people will choose to do a meet and greet and drop off at the same time. If this has been discussed. Please let PACT know and we will send out a Foster Agreement ahead of time and it can be signed prior to the meeting. If the meeting doesn’t go well, we will void the contract.

• Yes, at PACT’s discretion, Foster Families can foster more than one animal at a time if space in your home allows for another animal.
• If fostering for another organization other than PACT, the foster’s pet owner and PACT must be notified.

Yes, you have the right to say which pet(s) you are willing to foster.

• ALL PETS ENTERING OUR PROGRAM ARE REQUIRED TO BE UP TO DATE ON ALL SHOTS AND SPAYED AND NEUTERED.
• On occasion a pet may not be spayed or neutered, which will be indicated in the pet’s bio, as well as the reason why the pet is not fixed. Such as a documented medical condition. This can be discussed with PACT and the Owner.

PACT does not require that dogs have some sort of flea and tick preventive. Please make sure you discuss this with the owner. Most dogs are on flea and tick control, and PACT will be changing our protocols to require flea and tick control measures.

• PACT does not require Indoor cats to be on a flea and tick preventative, but that can be discussed with the owner if you would prefer that they have some sort of preventative.
• PACT does not require the pets be on monthly heartworm medications
• All Flea and Tick preventatives are paid for by the owner.

Each pet is different in its hygiene and grooming needs. Talk to the owner about their pets’ specific needs. The owner is responsible for the costs of grooming. If you have a trusted groomer, they may be willing to keep the owner’s credit card on file for services.

• If you have an emergency or the foster pet is not adjusting to the new household, let PACT know and we will look for a new foster.
• Some pets have long foster term dates, and the term can be broken up between two(2) or more PACT fosters.

• The Pet Owner is held responsible for all food, supplies, and medical care of the Foster Pet. PACT highly recommends setting up an automatic food and supply delivery through CHEWY.com, PETSMART.com, PETVALUE.com, or Amazon.com. This will ensure the necessary supplies are provided and as a foster, you will not have to wait for reimbursement. Medical or out of pockets expenses can be reimbursed via Venmo,  Paypal, check, cash, or a debit/gift card.
• Reimbursement for veterinarian costs MUST be discussed with the owner and is covered in our foster agreement.

• Contact the owner immediately about the delay.
• The foster must contact PACT within 30 days of the delay for PACT to investigate the delay to ensure reimbursement.
• Sometimes there may be a delay in reimbursement due to communication restrictions.
• If the owner indicates they cannot afford the supplies, at any point in time, the foster MUST contact PACT immediately. Do not wait, and do not change the foster agreement terms without having a PACT change of foster term agreement in place.  

• The pet’s owner is responsible for all pet sitting or boarding charges for their pet, while you are away.
• The care and cost of the foster pet should be discussed and agreed upon, prior to travel dates.

If the friend or family member has agreed to care for the foster pet, then this option should be discussed with the owner.

Every owner is different, and this option should be discussed with the owner.

NO, PACT is primarily a volunteer-run organization, and Foster Families are not paid for boarding a pet. The only monetary exchange between Pet Owner and Foster Family should be funds provided by Pet Owner to cover expenses directly relating to the pet’s care.

Some pets have long foster term dates, and the term can be broken up between two(2) or more PACT fosters.

If the Foster Family cannot fulfill their Foster Agreement for any reason, PACT will seek out a replacement Foster Family. Should PACT be unable to contact either Pet Owner or their Point of Contact for greater than two weeks, ownership of the Foster Pet will change to PACT, who will try to adopt the animal out, but cannot guarantee placement within PACT’s network. If an owner has not put in place a plan for their pet in case of foster failure, pets may needlessly end up in shelters.

The Owner is required to notify PACT and the Foster Family of any behaviors that might endanger foster’s property, other animals, or humans such as aggression, jumping, digging, chasing, chewing, marking, etc. Owners will remain financially responsible in case of such incidents, assuming the Foster acted reasonably to prevent such an accident and was providing reasonable, proper care to the pet.

If the pet is injured or involved in an accident during the owner’s deployment or hospitalization and while in PACT Foster’s care, it is Foster’s responsibility to immediately take the pet to a veterinarian for evaluation. PACT and the Owner must be notified. Owners will remain financially responsible in case of such an incident, assuming the Foster took reasonable measures to prevent such an accident and was providing reasonable proper care to the pet. A veterinary release form is included in our Foster Agreement, which allows the Owner to specify a veterinarian they prefer, and the maximum dollar amount they will pay, and protects the Foster Family. PACT recommends that all pets be microchipped with updated contact information, always wearing a collar with updated contact information, and insured against injury or illness to give the Owner peace of mind in the event of an accident.

If the Owner does not return from their deployment or hospitalization due to unfortunate circumstances, the Foster will contact PACT to determine who will assume care of the Foster Pet.

The Owner needs to contact PACT, and if the foster can accommodate the request a Foster Agreement Extension. Do not continue to foster without a signed agreement. If you, continue to foster without an updated PACT foster agreement you will not be covered under PACT’s program, and it will be considered a private foster agreement between the Owner and Foster.

• If you are willing to foster again, PACT must be notified, and the owner must complete a new application and a new contract will be sent out for signatures.
• If a new contract is not signed, it is considered a private arrangement between owner and foster and not through PACT’s Foster Program.