Foster vs. Adopt a Dog: What’s the Difference?

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Adopting is permanent. Fostering is temporary, but it’s still one of the most direct ways to help a dog get adopted.

Both start with an application. Here’s how fostering and adopting differ day to day.

Brown dog with red collar sitting on the floor.Tan dog on a couchTan dog outside with tongue outPitbull outside panting

Adopting

  • You’re the dog’s permanent home
  • You pay the adoption fee ($250 local, $500 out of state)
  • You cover ongoing food, vet care, and supplies going forward
  • The dog is legally and financially yours once the adoption is final

Fostering

  • You provide a temporary home while we find the dog’s permanent one
  • We cover food and medical costs during the foster period
  • You can foster for a set trial run, or as an ongoing volunteer
  • You help us learn the dog’s temperament, which goes straight into their adoption profile

How Fostering Helps a Dog Get Adopted

A dog in a foster home shows their real personality instead of shelter stress. That gives us accurate information for their adoption profile, on everything from house manners to how they do with kids, cats, and other dogs.

Foster time also gives a dog room to decompress and settle into routines like house-training. A calmer, more settled dog makes a stronger impression on adopters and often finds a home faster than one coming straight from a stressful environment.

Which One Is Right for You

If you want a dog for the long haul, adopt. If you’re not ready for a permanent commitment, foster.

Fostering also helps if you want to try dog ownership before committing, or just want to free up space in our program for the next dog coming in. Either way, you’re the reason a dog gets out of a shelter environment and into a home.

Related Reading

Apply to Adopt
Apply to Foster