Foster a greyhound!  We’d love to have you on the SA GREYS team.

Every retired racing greyhound we place into foster care is one step closer to finding a loving forever home.  Your foster greyhound will experience many firsts such as living in a house, walking on tile or stairs, playing with squeaky toys, watching TV, and meeting other dog breeds, cats, and perhaps children. As a foster family, you will guide your foster dog through the transition from retired racing hound to beloved pet.

• Once approved, you will receive a weekly update from the foster coordinator.  The weekly update will provide information about each hound in our care, which are seeking a foster home and the proposed date of placement.

• When you are ready to foster a dog, you simply respond to the foster coordinator to let her know you’re ready and which dog seems to best suit your home environment.  The foster coordinate may reach out to you if we have a critical need to place a hound, or have a hound who would fit well into your home.

• We strive to provide each foster greyhound a stable, loving temporary home while they are awaiting their forever home. As a result, it’s nice if a foster can stay in one home until he is adopted.  This can vary from a couple weeks to several months, depending on the dog.  However, if you decide for ANY reason that you want us to move the foster out of your home, we will.

• SA GREYS will provide respite foster care when you are out of town or just need a few days off. You simply notify the foster coordinator who then seeks a respite foster family for those dates.

• SA GREYS can loan a crate, exercise pen, dog bed, raised feeding dish, and belly bands for male dogs, if you wish. Fosters generally pay for their foster hound’s food, but SA GREYS can provide dog food, upon request.

• Providing the dog a safe, loving home environment is job one – high-quality food, clean water, a soft bed, exercise, and positive interactions with people and other pets.  Your secondary responsibility is preparing the hound to be a well-behaved member of a household such as house training, walking well on a leash, responding to basic commands, and basic manners.

• You will be asked to complete a detailed questionnaire about your foster dog approximately two weeks after you receive him.  Thereafter, you will be asked for updates on his development, cute stories and good photos.  We use that information to educate potential adopters about each hound, both on the website and in one-on-one discussions with adoption coordinators.  We need to have a good idea of the dog’s character in order to place the dog in the best possible home.

• You will be asked to take the greyhound to at least one meet and greet or special event per month unless the animal is deemed “excused” by the foster coordinator for medical/behavioral reasons.

• If you foster an injured or ill greyhound, you will be required to follow the veterinarian’s instructions. For example, you may have to crate a hound with a broken leg and only allow him or her outside on a leash to potty.  (No caving in to pitiful let-me-out whining!)

• It is also extremely important to give all the prescribed medications, as directed.  If you think the medication is having an adverse effect on the hound, contact the operations director immediately.

• Foster parents must report any potential injuries, illnesses, and/or behavioral issues to foster coordinator immediately.

• Foster parents usually transport their foster hound to appointments.  However, SA GREYS has a great cadre of transporters who can assist with transport, if required.

• In an emergency, the foster family must transport the dog to the nearest animal hospital, and notify the foster coordinator or operations director upon arrival at the veterinary office.

• In non-emergent situation, the foster family must obtain approval from the operations director BEFORE taking the animal to our vet.  If veterinary care is not pre-approved, SA Greys is not responsible for re-imbursement [except in cases of emergency].

• SA GREYS will pay for your foster hounds approved veterinary visits, medications and treatments unless it is determined that the foster parent was negligent in his/her care.  An example of negligence would be allowing the hound to run off leash in an unfenced area and be hit by a car.

• Medical costs are billed directly to SA GREYS, so fosters are not required to pay any up front expenses.

• Our primary veterinarian is Briarcrest Veterinary Care Center, (520) 298-4123, 7313 E. Tanque Verde Road, Tucson.

• We will occasionally authorize appointments at Twin Peaks Veterinary Center (West Side), Pantano Animal Clinic (Southeast Side), Broadway Animal Clinic (Central) and VSCOT (Specialists).

• SA GREYS will provide monthly flea/tick and heartworm preventative for the foster dog.  It is important to give the medication on the same date each month.  Notify the foster coordinator well in advance if you need additional medication.

• Do not give your foster dog any medications or supplements not prescribed by our veterinarian and/or approved by the operations director.