Hounds come in for rehoming for a variety of reasons.  While the majority of the hounds we take in have retired from racing, others may come from a variety of home situations in which surrendering them is the last resort and only option.

 

Like all rehoming and rescue centres, we urgently need volunteer foster carers.  As a small newly-established charity, we do not have vast quantities of success stories or flashy videos to show you how rewarding fostering can be…we can only tell you. 

 

Yes, fostering can be heart breaking.  You may have them for a few days, or you might have them for six months.  Elderly or unwell hounds may not make it to adoption, but they will know love and safety during those final days.  In saying goodbye, the heartbreak is the same, whether it be seeing your long-term foster greyhound off to their forever homes, or in giving a 15-year-old sighthound relief to fly over the rainbow bridge.  We can’t say it gets easier with time either, each foster hound, just like an adopted hound, takes a little piece of your heart with them when they go.

 

But with each new foster you take on, that little piece is taped back together as you give all that love to another.  It is one of the most rewarding things you can do to help hounds in need.

 

As with matching potential families with their forever hounds, we take great care to match foster families with hounds that are suitable for their circumstances.

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If you choose to foster, we’ll provide everything you need*.  All we ask is you give your foster hound all the love, attention and care that you can, as if they are your own hound.  Some may require medication or follow behaviour development plans, but you will have the full support of our team throughout the foster period.

 

When you foster with us, you get:

• All the benefits of hound ownership but without the long-term commitment

• Food, equipment and veterinary care will be provided*

• Full support from our experienced team and complete confidentiality

• The reward of helping hounds in need
   

*Food, enrichment and equipment will be provided, and neccesary veterinary costs covered, by The Zoomie Zone for the duration of the foster period, provided that foster carers follow the instructions and guidelines set out by our team.  It is not possible to reinburse unauthorised purchases. Please note that the dogs are not insured while in our care, and each veterinary visit represents an ongoing cost to the charity. In the case of injuries or unexpected expenses resulting from a direct breach of the fostering contract, for example, allowing the foster dog off-lead in a public park, resulting in a dog fight, we would ask that the foster carer make contribution toward the associated costs.