FOSTERING SAVES LIVES

• A 2023 study involving 51 animal shelters, including the Asheville Humane Society, found that dogs who spent time in temporary foster homes were 14 TIMES more likely to be adopted than dogs that didn't get a foster!

Fostering is a partnership with Rusty’s Legacy Dog Rescue. We provide the food, supplies, veterinary care, and everything else your foster dog needs. You provide the love, patience, and a safe, temporary home. Together, we give dogs the care and attention they need while helping them find their forever families.

Our foster families are a crucial part of our rescue. We simply could not continue rescuing dogs and finding them loving homes without our amazing foster network. Fostering is a profound act of love and one of the most rewarding ways to make a difference in a dog's life. You give a dog the chance to experience the comfort, security, and kindness of a home while helping prepare them for a lifetime with a family of their own.

While your foster dog is in your home, Rusty’s Legacy remains ultimately responsible for their health, safety, and welfare. We depend on our foster families to help us fulfill that responsibility.

Communication is Key: We ask all fosters to stay in regular contact with our Foster Coordinator and make every effort to respond promptly to texts and emails about their foster dog's health, behavior, progress, adoption inquiries, and appointments. Photos and updates are crucial in promoting your foster dog to potential adopters, as is bringing your foster to adoption events. 

Preparing Dogs for Adoption: Fosters play an important role in helping dogs get ready for their forever homes. Depending on the dog's needs, this may include:

• Bringing puppies to the rescue for vaccinations or transporting dogs to spay/neuter and other veterinary appointments.
• Helping with house training, leash skills, basic commands, and socialization.
• Sharing updates about the dog's personality, behavior, and progress.

Helping Find the Right Home: Our fosters often know their dogs better than anyone, and we value their insight when choosing the right family. Rusty’s Legacy reviews and approves all adoption applications, then shares qualified applicants with the foster. Fosters coordinate meet-and-greets and help us select the best match from our pool of approved adopters.

Fostering is a team effort! We don't expect you to be a professional dog trainer or have all the answers. We simply ask that you stay involved, communicate with us, and help your foster dog along the journey to adoption.

Every dog welcomed into a foster home opens another opportunity for us to save a life. 

We provide the necessities. You provide the love. Together, we change lives! ❤️🐾