Foster caregivers provide temporary care for cats, kittens, dogs, and puppies in their homes. Some animals need only a few weeks of care, while others may require a longer stay. Fostering is flexible, allowing you to choose the animals that fit your lifestyle. By offering your time, love, and home, you make a lasting difference in an animal’s life.

How Foster Care Works

What We Provide: The Atlanta Humane Society provides all veterinary care, medicine, food, and supplies needed for foster animals, as well as a supportive network of other foster parents and volunteers.

What You Provide: A foster parent offers a safe, nurturing home filled with warmth and love.

Animals in Need of Foster Care

Kittens and Puppies / Nursing Moms and Litters

We often have animals who are too young for spay or neuter surgeries. They need a safe and comfortable place to grow up and socialize. When there is a Mom, she’ll provide most of care, you’re her safe space.
Typical duration: 1-8 weeks

Pets Recovering from Illness or Injury

These animals may require medications or vet follow-ups. For this reason, we typically ask that you live within 30 minutes of our Atlanta location for easy transportation with appointments.
Typical duration: 1-2 months

Shelter-Stressed Animals

These are dogs and cat who need calm homes to decompress and feel safe.
Typical duration: 2-4 months

Virtual Adoption Ambassadors

You can help market our adult dogs and cats from home until adoption. To view dogs and cats who have been at the shelter a while and who could use a break with an adoption ambassador, visit this page.
Typical duration: 1-2 months

Animals in our Pets in Crisis Support Program

These animals come from loving families who are experiencing housing insecurity, domestic violence, or medical emergencies. You foster so they can go back home after crisis. To learn more about this program, click here.
Duration: Up to 90 days

Service Dogs in Training

Through our partnership with Dogs for Better Lives, we’re training shelter dogs to help with PTSD, vision issues, and autism out of our Marietta location.
Duration: 6 months

Get Started

Your first step in becoming an Atlanta Humane Society foster caregiver is signing up for one of our virtual foster caregiver orientations or watch a pre-recorded version. Live orientations are held virtually once a month.

Why Foster?

When foster parents share their experiences with the Atlanta Humane Society, the word they use most often is rewarding. Hear their stories—and hopefully find inspiration to create your own—by watching this video.