Make a difference! Foster a Newf!

A foster home is a family or individual that provide a safe, supportive environment for our rescued Newfs while they are being evaluated/rehabilitated before placement in their permanent homes. These homes are an extremely valuable part of our success!   NH&R's foster and placement boundaries are from the California/ Oregon border, south to the Fresno area and, to the east, the immediate area around Reno, NV.

Our foster homes are a very important part of the entire rescue operation. Due to the size of our geographical area (and the size of our breed!) it would be unrealistic to try to house all of our rescued dogs at one address. Newfs are such a “people” breed that they really do best when in a situation that provides a lot of individual time and attention. Our foster homes are awesome at doing just that. They assume the role of chauffeur, getting the dog to vet appointments or out for evaluation in society. Through careful observations and record keeping, foster homes become the eyes and ears of the committee. We stay in constant close contact with them as they guide us toward the type of home the dog would be best suited for. We feel we have a better chance at a successful adoption with this information. Most Newfs stay in a foster home for a minimum of 7-10 days.

All Newfs bring with them some sort of “baggage” or history when they come into our program. Some have been abused or neglected while others come from seemingly wonderful homes. What all rescued Newfs have in common is the fact that neither their new families, nor we will have had any control over the first few months or years of the dog’s life. Our job, through our foster people, is to try and figure out “who” the dog is. These folks determine how much training the dog has had, what his or her habits or quirks are, as well as health issues all in an effort to help us place that particular dog in his or her perfect home. 

What Does It Take To Foster?

• You must be a member in good standing of NCNC. Our code of ethics and by-laws pertain to everything we do, including rescue work. By joining NCNC, you sign an agreement to abide by them.  NCNC.org

• You must have a safe, secure home and yard. Some of these dogs have been known to scale 6ft fences without batting an eye. Do you have other pets? They must be ok with sharing their home (and you) with a strange dog.

• You must have the time to take the rescued Newf out into the world. We need to know how he or she reacts to as many situations as possible. The more we know about the dog, the better the permanent placement.

• You must be able to take the dog to a vet, possibly many times, while caring for it. Newfoundland Health & Rescue (NH&R) will reimburse you or your vet for most expenses connected to the rescue dog.

• You must be really meticulous at documenting the dog’s time with you. A foster person is truly the eyes and ears of the rescue committee. We use the information you provide us to determine where the dog should go. Daily records, a diary of sorts, helps paint a clear picture.  (Read a sample update)

• Finally, (and this is the hardest) you must be able to say good-bye when a home is found. Occasionally the foster home ends up adopting the dog. That’s ok by us if, realistically, yours is the best home. However, it’s easy to let your heart override common sense. If you kept every Newf that you ever fostered, you'd have a houseful (and probably a divorce!) as well as constant worry that you couldn’t provide all the individual attention they need. There’s sadness at saying good-bye. There’s also the satisfaction of helping a Newf move on to a bright future!