Foster Care Program
By the end of 2025, PetRescue’s goal is to increase the number of pet foster carers in Australia by 14,000 through awareness campaigns and recruitment initiatives.
A community-powered temporary care model for pets to be in loving homes while waiting for permanent homes is one that can keep pets feeling safe, comfortable and free from stress during the process.
In Australia, 1.4 million non-pet-owning households are interested in welcoming a pet^. Now imagine if just 1% of those decided to become foster carers. That’s 14,000 pets getting a chance to be in a safe, nurturing environment until a permanent home is found.
More pets in foster care not only increases the rescue community's ability to help more at-risk and vulnerable pets but also allows for a quicker and more effective response to emergencies. With more space available in shelters, they can better assist in situations where help is most needed.
It could also serve as a supportive community-based solution for handling unexpected medical or crisis situations. In these cases, pets that already have a loving home may temporarily need a safe place to stay.
A terrific outcome is that many foster carers end up adopting the pets they foster. However, when this happens, it creates a need to find new foster carers to ensure that every pet in need can still be helped. This is why recruiting foster carers is a long-term strategy focused on continuously engaging the community to participate in this rewarding activity.
Through awareness initiatives and campaigns, PetRescue aims to actively recruit more foster carers and equip them with the information they need to start their lifesaving journey. Then, by leveraging the reach of the PetRescue website and enabling new functionality, we can help rescue organisations reach these available foster carers to whom they have not previously had a connection.
If you feel passionate about ensuring all pets are safe, respected and loved and want to support our Foster Care Program, we’d love you to get in touch with us by emailing supporters@petrescue.org.au!
Current programs and initiatives
Search filter: Pets looking for foster care
Matchmakers: The Foster Edition
Past wins and projects
PetFoster Website
National Pet Foster Day
^ Source: Pets in Australia Report : A national survey of pets and people by Animal Medicines Australia.
Image: Arina Krasnikova via Pexels.