Foster Care Guidelines:Title Page

From BPSBR_Wiki
Jump to: navigation, search
Buffalo Pug and Small Breed Rescue Inc.

Foster Care Guidelines : Title Page

12405 Clinton Street • Alden • NY • 14004
Buffalo: 716-805-8314
Rochester: 585-598-6723
Fax: (877) 2345-PUG / (877) 234-5784
Outside Buffalo/Rochester: 866-796-8786
www.buffalopugs.org
• Please review on a regular basis •

Contents


INTRODUCTION

Thank you for offering your home to needy rescue dogs and welcome to the Buffalo Pug and Small Breed Rescue (BP&SBR) family. We hope you find fostering a great experience. A key component of BP&SBR’s program is the foster home. Without sufficient foster homes, we are limited in how many dogs we can help at one time. It is a life or death situation for many of the dogs that come to us, so without you, these dogs could be without hope of ever being saved. The rewards of fostering are many, and sometimes there are heartbreaks too. We just need to focus on each dog individually and remember the happy endings in store for them. If you have any questions or concerns about the information provided in this document, please don’t hesitate to contact a director or officer. It is important that you keep this document handy for review and reference.

ARE YOU READY TO FOSTER?

You are ready to foster if…

BENEFITS/RISKS

Dogs taken into foster care are often the most grateful of animals, but they can pose some risks to other pets and to your home. Please compare your facilities and time available to what is known about the animals' needs in making decisions as to what you can do comfortably and safely. It is important to understand that BP&SBR is not always 100 percent informed about a dog saved from a bad situation (shelter or surrender by previous owner). Most often, BP&SBR will not know if a dog is housetrained before getting him or her into a foster home. There are also unfortunate times when we are not told the truth and a dog ends up being aggressive or a fear biter (should you ever get a dog like this, it is important to keep it in a crate until something can be done to get him or her into a boarding kennel or into another situation). Thankfully, the later situation does not occur often, but it is important to understand that it can happen.

Dogs may have illnesses/parasites (i.e. kennel cough or worms) that are common in the stray, uncared for population that can be transmitted to your own pets. BP&SBR can never be sure what breed of dog is involved in a ‘mixed’ breed. While we most often work with breeds under 30 lbs, there is always a possibility that a larger breed (such as Pit Bull, Rottweiler or Great Dane) are mixed in with a small breed and that the gene for small and lower weight was the dominant gene, thus exhibiting the small trait.

Best Protection

FOSTER VOLUNTEER RESPONSIBILITIES

The foster volunteers are expected to take their job very seriously. It takes a team to get each dog adopted but we depend on the foster homes to give each one the love and care they need in the meantime.

INTAKE

Intake is the first step of the adoption process. All incoming animals must be coordinated in by one of the Directors. If you take in an animal without speaking with a Director first, you may have to pay for expenses yourself. If you know or hear of a dog that you think BP&SBR should bring into the rescue, please contact one of the Directors with as much information as possible.

GETTING YOUR FOSTER DOG

Most of the time dogs will come in to your home directly from transporters, surrendering owners, etc. If a dog comes direct to you, be aware that it has not been initially evaluated and little may be known by us about the temperament, health or personality of the dog. We will rely on you to make assessments and advise us of any issues or concerns.

EVALUATING YOUR FOSTER DOG

The next step is to evaluate your foster dog for all kinds of things. Firstly, you need to ascertain any medical issues that need to be addressed while the dog is in our care.

Evaluating Dogs Of course this list is not all-encompassing, just some helpful ideas for evaluating a dog. 

† = would tend to indicate a fear aggressive dog
‡ = a dominate aggressive dog

Both have the potential to be dangerous. The difficulty is determining what triggers the fear or
dominance response and if it is preventable or not. Both types of dogs have ability to bite first
and ask questions later.

* = If the dog tends to react like those that are marked with a "*" especially on more than one
instance, the dogs has the potential to bite. It, at the very least, would need training
and understanding before any adoption. This is not to say that it would not be adoptable,
but could very well be a challenge to the foster volunteer.

If anything makes you uneasy, contact your Volunteer Coordinator immediately.


GETTING DOGS READY FOR A NEW HOME

FOSTER CARE SUPPLIES

The foster home is expected to provide and/or pay for the following necessities: crates, carriers, bedding, bowls, food, toys, bones, gates, etc. These items will stay with the foster home upon adoption of the dog for use with the next foster. Should assistance be needed in paying for any of these items, please do not hesitate to notify your Volunteer Coordinator.

The Rescue will provide ID tags and pay all approved medical expenses.

Collars and Tags

TRANSFERRING A FOSTER DOG

If you feel you need to transfer a foster animal to another foster home, please contact your Volunteer Coordinator and they will do their best to accommodate you, but we can't guarantee that it will happen quickly. Your patience and help in finding another foster home to transfer them to is appreciated.

VETERINARY CARE

All veterinary care provided for the rescue dogs must be authorized by one of the Directors. If you feel that your dog requires medical attention that was not authorized, please discuss it with the Director that placed the dog with you. No unauthorized procedures will be paid for and will become the responsibility of the foster. In an emergency, of course, seek medical attention for your dog immediately, but contact your Director as soon as possible. Please make every effort to use one of our approved veterinarians when seeking emergency care. The following procedures are authorized without question and should be among the first things the foster home attempts to take care of upon receiving their new foster dog. Please ensure with your Volunteer Coordinator that these procedures have not already been done prior to the dog entering our rescue program. All dogs should be heartworm tested, altered (spay/neutered), and administered inoculations (DHLPP, Rabies). No dog should be adopted out without these items having been taken care of. In the case of a young puppy under 6 months of age, the Rabies and alteration can not occur and will be put into the adopter’s contract to have done at the appropriate time.

See the listing of approved Veterinarians attached to the end of this guide.
Fleas
Please treat your foster animals for fleas when needed. If we have flea prevention drops available we can provide them to you, or if we are out, you may ask the vet to give you some (or apply it for you) at the time of the initial vet visit. Please read the directions carefully and also use a flea comb. Consult a vet before giving flea treatments to puppies and pregnant or nursing moms.
Grooming
Please keep animals bathed and groomed, especially long-haired dogs. If you live in the Buffalo or Rochester areas, grooming will be provided by our volunteer groomers. Please ask your Volunteer Coordinator for a contact name.
Health Problems
If your foster animal seems sick, injured or in severe distress or pain, take them to a vet promptly and contact your Director.

COMMON PARASITES, VIRUSES AND WORMS

Heart Worm
They look like: Heartworm (Dinofillaria immitis) is a parasite. It is a living organism, which resembles a worm, and its effects are dangerous.
Symptoms: Many of the symptoms of heartworm are due to the adult worms living in the heart and other organs. The worms take up physical space inside the heart, so less blood can fill it each time it beats. Since the heart and lungs have to "work harder" to deliver the same amount of blood and air to the body, these organs are put under an ever-increasing strain. As a result, the dog will tire easily, cough, have a big fluid-filled belly, and collapse after exercise. The larvae in the bloodstream also damage small blood vessels in liver and kidney. This affects the way these vital organs function and will seriously affect the dog's health.
Ways in which dogs get them: It is transmitted by mosquitoes to dogs and sometimes to cats.
This is contagious to: Not contagious; transmitted by mosquitoes.
Vet care needed: Make an appointment to take dog to the vet. Heartworm is NOT found IN THE STOOL. It is diagnosed by microscopic examination of the blood, and sometimes in the urine if the infection is severe. An x-ray may be required to check the dog's heart.
Hook Worms
They look like: Hookworms are very small bloodsucking worms that grow to about a quarter of an inch in size. They attach themselves to the intestinal lining with structures that are similar to teeth that hold the worms in place, allowing them to feed off your pet's body while causing severe damage to the intestinal wall. The blood loss can be severe and cause life-threatening anemia and hemorrhaging if the worms are present for a long time.
Symptoms: Diarrhea, bloody stool, emaciation, anemia, weakness, red and swollen skin.
Ways in which animals get them: Adult hookworms pass hundreds of microscopic eggs in the animal's stool. Larvae (immature worms) will hatch from the eggs and persist in the soil for weeks or months. When larvae are swallowed by your pet, hookworm infection is established. The larvae may also burrow through the animal's skin and migrate to the intestine, where they may mature and complete their life cycle. In dogs, prenatal infection (infection prior to birth) may be a significant problem. Puppies may become infected by the placental blood flow and then later through the mother’s milk. Prenatal infection has not been demonstrated to occur in kittens.
Vet care needed: Veterinary care is essential. The veterinarian will first kill the worms by injections or tablets and then treat any secondary symptoms such as anemia or malnutrition. To guard against another infestation a series of follow-up appointments are needed. You will also have to treat the soil in your yard since that is the most likely source of hookworms.
Ring Worm (This is not a worm, but a fungus!)
Appearance: thickened crusty skin with hair loss.
Symptoms: presence of lesions that are usually around face, eyes, mouth and feet.
Ways in which animals get them: environment
This is contagious to: cats, dogs, and humans. Transmission of the fungus can occur by direct skin to skin contact with infected area (use gloves when applying medication or wash hands with hot water and soap).
Measures to be taken to prevent spreading: Separation of affected animal(s). Treatment is done with a topical or systemic antifungal.
Vet care needed: Make an appointment to take dog in for diagnosis and treatment. Vet needs to scrape off a portion of the affected areas and examine them under a microscope.
Round Worms
They look like: Spaghetti to angel hair pasta; round in shape.
Symptoms: Can be a symptomatic or vomiting, diarrhea, gas, or weight loss.
Ways in which animals get them: environment or in utero. They can be picked up from a prey such as small rodents and birds. Roundworms are picked up by eggs in infected urine and feces. These eggs can survive for years in the soil. The dog will collect them on its coat or paws and then ingest them when grooming. Worming treatments must be carried out regularly to prevent infection.
This is contagious to: cats and dogs
Measures to be taken to prevent spreading: Keep litter boxes clean, and yard picked up from dog feces. Animals diagnosed should be kept separated.
Vet care needed: Make an appointment to take dog in for diagnosis and treatment.
Other helpful notes for volunteers: Yearly stool check/and deworming or keeping your pet on revolution; deworm each new animal before exposure to any other cats/dogs.
Tape Worms
They look like: Rice/sesame seeds (more flat than round); color range white to yellow.
Symptoms: In most cases, people see them around the rectum or on bedding. Tapeworms can cause anal irritation and excessive licking of this area. They can also be asymptomatic or vomiting, diarrhea, gas, weight loss.
Ways in which animals get them: Must have an intermediate host; usually fleas or flea on rodent that's been eaten.
This is contagious to: Not contagious; see above.
Measures to be taken to prevent spreading: Keep environment free from fleas; keep yard clean. :Vet care needed: Make an appointment to take dog in for diagnosis and treatment.
Whip Worm
They look like: Small and thin with a whip like tail
Symptoms: Can be asymptomatic or vomiting, diarrhea, gas, weight loss; may develop bloody stool.
Ways in which animals get them: environment
This is contagious to: cats and dogs
Measures to be taken to prevent spreading: Decontaminate environment (keep yard picked up from dog feces). Animals diagnosed should be kept separated.
Vet care needed: Take fecal sample to clinic for diagnosis and treatment.
Zoonotic Parasites
Certain parasitic infections can affect both pets and people. The zoonotic diseases they cause are transmitted either directly, by contact with infected animals, or indirectly, through exposure to contaminated soil, food or other objects in the environment. Common vectors, such as ticks, fleas and mosquitoes, can also spread them.
Zoonoses do not always mimic infection by the same parasite in other animals. They can have serious consequences for their human hosts, ranging from gastrointestinal distress through joint inflammation and nerve damage, to blindness.
HEARTGARD® Plus (for dogs) is labeled to treat and control MORE species of the canine parasites implicated in zoonoses than any other product of it's kind.
Kennel Cough
Kennel cough is a virus that is common in dogs coming from shelter situations. Often the vaccine for kennel cough (Bordatella or Corona) will give the dog the virus if his immune system is low. Kennel cough symptoms are coughing, reverse sneezing, lethargy, and discharge from the eyes and nose. This virus is airborne and highly contagious to other dogs, so if you have any signs that your foster dog has kennel cough, quarantine the dog and contact your Director immediately to authorize a visit to the vet and treatment.
This virus is treated with antibiotics and cough suppressant and will usually clear up in 7-10 days.

WEB SITE

Exposure is the best way to find new homes for our foster animals. Our web site can be viewed by anyone with Internet access. Send the web site administrator or Volunteer Coordinator (see Contact List) a picture of your foster dog(s) along with a description of him/her. The editor will then put your foster dog on the web site.

Please update every time there is a change with your foster animal (housebroken, spayed/neutered, more sociable, etc.)

ADOPTION SCREENING

Foster volunteers who have Internet access are more than welcomed to get involved in the screening of adoption applications that are located on the web site. If you do not have access or are not able to get as involved, then your Volunteer Coordinator will screen applicants for obvious matches, send out e-mails and refer any interested applicants to the foster home for further information on the dog. No dog will be placed without a Home Visit being conducted and veterinary and personal reference checks being completed. If the potential adopter you are screening is out of your area and you are unable to conduct your own Home Visit, contact your Volunteer Coordinator for guidance on getting a Home Visit done by another volunteer.

Note: Some volunteers prefer to take foster dogs to the potential home so that they can see where his/her foster animal may be living if the adoption goes through and to witness how the dog and people interact. This is up to the individual, but not a requirement. Discuss this issue with your Volunteer Coordinator.

THE HOME VISIT

Be Honest! -- Emphasize Good Points
Housebroken, people lover, behaves on command, fully vaccinated, spay/neutered, well mannered
Be Honest! -- Less Appealing Behavior
High energy, separation anxiety, jumps on people, chewer, door crasher, timid, marking, bad potty manners

The more prepared this family is prior to the adoption, the less chance there is of the animal being returned to us. Important points should be written on the adoption contract as a reminder for the adoptive home. For instance, if a dog is not good around cats or kids, verbally discuss this with the family and write it somewhere on the adoption contract (preferably in the remarks section).

Evaluating Potential Adopters

Is This The Right Family?
Should they be allowed to adopt your foster dog? You have the right to decide. If you are not comfortable with this family, then the adoption does not have to be granted. You can tell them that others have looked at him/her and that you will select the best fit for the dog. If you aren’t quite sure why you are uncomfortable and it’s just a gut instinct, you may want to call your Volunteer Coordinator for another opinion.

POTENTIAL ADOPTION

THE ADOPTION AGREEMENT

Complete an adoption agreement with all the information needed. If you are unable to complete the Agreement yourself, contact your Volunteer Coordinator for assistance. You need to prepare two copies and both copies need to be signed by you and the adopter. One copy should be given to the adopter with all relevant paperwork (most often the paperwork will reside with a director and will later be sent in the mail to the new adopter) on the dog, and you must send the other copy, along with the payment, to Chad (see contacts).

Review the adoption agreement thoroughly with the adoptive family.

The last thing you should say is this, "Please don't hesitate to call us if you have any problems or questions. We're here to help. Please be sure to either call or e-mail me in the next few days and update me. We like to follow up with our adoptive families to make sure that things are going well." You may also choose to tell them about our adopter mailing list that they will be introduced to soon after adoption.

We do not adopt out animals without a fee… they can't pay you on Friday after they get their check; they can't drop off the cash tomorrow. We don't hear from these people again! You can accept a postdated check, and you can hold the animal until the person gets paid on Friday if they seem to genuinely want to adopt. But never let an animal go without the completed forms or the fee. Once paid, ensure the adopter initials the next to last statement on the contract that relates to the fee being non-refundable.

Checks are made payable to: Buffalo Pug and Small Breed Rescue, Inc.

If the adoption fee is paid by check, please be sure that the adopter initials the final statement on the Adoption Agreement relative to checks.

ADOPTIONS

Ideally, the adoptions should take place in your home or the adopter’s home. Some fosters do not wish to have adopters come to their home, and this is a matter of personal preference. If you do not wish to have the adopter pick up the dog from you, contact your Director for assistance. Make sure they do not leave with your foster animal until they have signed the adoption contract and paid the fee.

We also encourage all placements to have a photo taken at the time they pick up their new dog. If you don’t have a camera, contact your Director about using theirs. This is always nice to be able to showcase the adoption with the “before and after” pictures on the website.

AFTER THE ADOPTION

APPENDIX

Buffalo Pug and Small Breed Rescue
Approved Veterinarian Listing
As of 04/23/05

BUFFALO AND VICINITY

McClelland Small Animal Hospital
455 Ellicott St.
Buffalo, NY
716-847-0181
Thorn Avenue Animal Hospital
188 Thorn Avenue
Orchard Park, NY
716-667-7250
5 Corners Animal Hospital, P.C.  
2799 Southwestern Boulevard
Suite 100
Orchard Park, NY 14127
716-677-4477
Green Acres Small Animal Hospital
2060 Niagara Falls Boulevard
Tonawanda, NY 14150
716-694-0122
The Animal Hospitable Vet Clinic  
7780 Transit Road
Williamsville, NY 14221
716-634-2240
Harris Hill Animal Hospital 8470 Main Street
Williamsville, NY 14221
716-634-1000
(Also, our boarding locale for Buffalo area)

Aurora Vet Hospital

410 Olean Rd
East Aurora NY
716-655-0305

ROCHESTER AND VICINITY

East Ridge Animal Hospital
60 Dubelbeiss Lane
Rochester, NY
585-467-2120
Irondequoit Animal Hospital
2150 Hudson Avenue
Rochester, NY
585-266-8020
Macedon Veterinary Hospital
1900 State Route 31
Macedon, NY
315-986-4246
Walworth Animal Hospital
1711 Penfield Road
Walworth, NY
315-986-1616
(Also, our boarding locale for Rochester area)
York Animal Hospital
2275 Main Street
York, NY 14592
585-243-5660

SYRACUSE AND VICINITY

Fairmount Animal Hospital
3705 W. Genesee Street.
Syracuse, NY 13219
315-468-3446
Buffalo Pug and Small Breed Rescue
CONTACT LIST
As of 04/23/05

ACTIVE DIRECTORS

Ernest Gainey
12405 Clinton Street
Alden, NY 14004
Email: [email protected]
Buffalo: 716-805-8314 x 9
Rochester: 585-598-6723
Lindsay Kuhn
307 North Lincoln Rd.
East Rochester, NY 14445
Email: [email protected]
Buffalo: 716-805-8314
Rochester: 585-598-6723

NON-ACTIVE DIRECTORS

Eric Gray
Stephanie Thompkins
Retrieved from "http://wiki.buffalopugs.org/index.php/Foster_Care_Guidelines:Title_Page"
Personal tools
Namespaces
Variants
Actions
Navigation
Toolbox