Foster Care Program

Foster Parents provide temporary care to North Shore Animal League America animals in their home. It is a life changing experience for the animals and a rewarding one for the humans!

About the Foster Program

Fostering is providing temporary care for an animal in your home.

Animal League America^® regularly rescues animals that would otherwise be euthanized due to a lack of space, medical or age related issues at other shelters. Our fosters not only help the animal they are fostering, but they also help save countless other animals by providing the added space needed to bring more animals into the shelter!

There are a wide variety of canines and felines looking for foster homes, such as:

Kittens and puppies that are too young for adoption
Cats and dogs recovering from surgery, illness, or injury that need a place to heal
Newly rescued or other animals that are not thriving in the shelter environment
Cats and dogs with special needs (both behavioral and/or medical)
Senior cats and dogs looking for a home to spend their retirement
Cat and dog nursing litters that need a quiet home to thrive

More Information About the Foster Program

What does fostering entail?

We ask fosters to take care of their foster animals as though they were their own, ideally until we find the animal a loving adoptive home. This includes daily care (i.e., providing food, water and shelter), structure (i.e., meals on a regular schedule, daily walks, interaction and stimulation) training (e.g., litter or house training, crate training, basic obedience skills), and love.

Who is eligible to become a foster?

Any caring, compassionate individuals, 21 or older, who live in the NYC metro area and are able to get to our Port Washington, NY campus, as needed. Whether you work traditional business hours or stay at home, have a small amount of time or are able to make a full-time commitment, we have all kinds of animals that could use your help! Check out our FAQ’s for more information about fostering with us or submit a Foster Care Application today!

How do I become a foster?

You must fill out a foster application via our website to be considered to foster with us. If you are a good fit for our program, someone from the Foster Care Program will be in touch with you to schedule an orientation to our program.

The minimum requirements to foster with us are:

Must be 21 or older
Must live in the NYC metro area and/or within 50 miles of our Port Washington, NY campus
Must be allowed to have animals in the home (if renting, we need to verify with your landlord that foster animals are allowed in the residence)
Must be able to transport your foster animal to/from our Port Washington, NY campus

What type of experience are we looking for?

We are most in need of foster parents who are able to take large breed dogs (50+lbs), who have experience with behavior modification, or who are experienced with cats or dogs with medical needs. In the summer months, we can always use the help of bottle baby fosters. Please note we can only allow fosters to take bottle babies who already have prior experience with them.

For more FAQ’s visit animalleague.org/fosterfaq.

Love animals and want to open your home to those in need? Consider fostering with us!

Apply now

Notice for Applicants: The Summer Onboarding Cycle for foster parents has closed, but we are still accepting applications for the Fall. Applications submitted after July 2, 2025 will be reviewed during the Fall Onboarding Cycle in September.

Meet our Current Fosters Available to Adopt!

Meet Hydee

Meet Camilla

Meet Patsy

The Comfort Pet Hospice Care Program

Ready to make a profound difference in the lives of animals? Imagine the impact you could have by fostering animals who are approaching the end of their life and giving them a loving home where they can spend their remaining days. This is the idea at the heart of our Comfort Pet Hospice Care Program.

Many elderly or terminally ill animals face the possibility of spending their final days alone and without a home environment. By fostering them, we can provide them with a warm and nurturing atmosphere, and ensure that their final chapter is filled with care and compassion.

Despite the limited time you may have with them, the bond and connection that develop are deep and meaningful. These animals teach us invaluable lessons about resilience, acceptance and cherishing each moment. Their unconditional love and appreciation are reminders of the impact we can have on another being’s life.

We are currently looking for special people who can take on this emotionally rewarding challenge. Prospective candidates should live in the NYC metro area and/or within 50 miles of our Port Washington, NY campus. For more information, please contact the Foster Care Team at fostercare@animalleague.org.

Ever wonder what it’s like to be a foster parent? In the following video we catch up with a few of our current foster parents to learn what the “foster experience” has meant to them.

Love animals and want to open your home to those in need? Consider fostering with us!

Apply now