Open your heart and home

Foster

Provide A Safe Haven For An Animal In Need

Save A Life By Fostering

For animals struggling in the shelter environment, a foster family’s loving home can make a lifesaving difference.

Sometimes an animal simply cannot thrive in the stressful, overwhelming energy of a shelter day after day. Foster homes give these animals a soft place to land and a place to find ease and comfort. Foster caretakers give animals the love and affection they may have forgotten they deserve. The individualized care, socialization, enrichment, and routine of foster caregivers help these animals heal, grow, and prepare for their forever home.

Foster Testimonials

I was
adopted!

Oakley is such a good foster boy!

He has never had an accident in the house and loves to talk to you. He’s got a Boxer-type personality. He knows how to sit and shake on command and does well with the other 4 dogs in my house. He’s a sweet and sensitive boy who loves to play with tennis balls and tug toys. He’s guaranteed to make you laugh and smile. He deserves a happily ever after with a great forever family!

– Oakley’s foster mom

I was
adopted!

This cutie-pup-tutie quickly settled in and she is a joy to have around!

Doing well with both crate and potty training, Juno also LOVES romping around the backyard with furry foster brother, Finn! She even gets along with her feline foster sibling and is happiest just chilling out on the porch with foster mom and dad. Juno can be hesitant with new people at times, and her furever family should have older, dog savvy teens that can help her adjust to a new life.

– Juno’s foster parents

Have A Question?

Foster FAQS

Want to know if welcoming a homeless pet into your home is right for you? Check out our most frequently asked questions to help you decide if this opportunity is a good choice for you and your family. If you have additional questions, please feel free to contact us.

What is animal fostering?

Animal fostering involves taking care of a pet in your home while they wait to find their permanent home. Foster families are critical to the success of our organization and the pets we care for. When you welcome an animal into your home, you are saving two lives – the animal in your home and the one we now have space and capacity to care for in our shelter because of your generosity.

What types of animals need foster care?

Any animal can benefit from the love a foster family provides. Our most urgent needs for foster families are dogs and young kittens.

How long do animals need foster care?

Fostering can last anywhere from a few days to a few months, depending on the animal’s unique needs and your availability. We always have a need for foster homes throughout the year.

What supplies will I need to foster?

The York County SPCA assumes all financial responsibility for animals enrolled in our foster program, making it affordable for all people.

Can I foster if I have other pets?

Depending on the animal you are fostering – yes. It’s important to ensure that your current pets and the foster animal can co-exist peacefully. The York County SPCA can provide support with introducing your pets and if any issues arise while you are fostering.

Are there any requirements for my home environment in order to foster?

While certain animals may have specific needs, for most animals, we just require you to have the time and attention to devote to your foster pet.

Do I need to have any special training or skills to foster?

It is dependent on the animal. Most will require basic handling skills, but some animals may need medical or behavioral support. Our team is available to work with you to learn how to care for your foster pet and to ensure it works with your home environment and lifestyle.

Can I choose which animals I want to foster?

Yes, our foster coordinators will offer suggestions to fit your home but it is up to our foster volunteers to decide who they will bring into their home.

What do I do with my foster animal while I am on vacation?

Email your foster coordinator with any upcoming vacation dates so that a temporary vacation foster home can be found.

Most of the time, the answer is yes! We welcome our foster families supporting us in promoting animal adoption. If your foster pet cannot be posted on social media, our foster coordinator will inform you.

Can I adopt the animal I am fostering?

In most cases, yes! We do ask our fosters to follow our standard adoption process.

Can't Volunteer As A Foster?

Give one of our pawsome pups a day filled with adventure!

Dogs’ Day Out gives our dogs a nice break from kennel life, provides more insight into their personalities, and helps increase their chances of meeting their forever family.

You can take them to a park for a hike/walk, through a drive-thru for a pup cup, or to a dog-friendly store to meet new people. You can be as creative as you would like!

Mission Moment

Happy Tails

Sugar was brought to the York County SPCA after her owner had passed away.

Our shelter was nothing like the home she was accustomed to, and, while she quickly grew to love our staff and volunteers, she didn’t like other animals. Being immersed in such a high-stress environment only intensified her weariness of other dogs and, despite improving in her basic command training, after a year, the few adoption applications she had received had all fallen through.

Sugar became very anxious from her time in the kennel and, eventually, she ended up tearing her ACL and meniscus due to her anxiety. She needed a quiet and calming place to heal from her surgery and from the stress of living in a kennel for so long. Thankfully, Schuyler stepped up as a foster parent.

The first pictures Schuyler sent to our team after taking Sugar home made us shed tears of happiness. Sugar’s smile that had been slowly fading while she was in the shelter had appeared again, but now, it was an ear-to-ear grin so big her eyes glittered.

I fell in love with Sugar the first time I let her sleep in bed with me and Liz... our Christmas gifts to one another were adopting Sugar into our family. After only a few months of fostering, we knew she was already a part of it.

Today, you can find Sugar bouncing between Schuyler and Liz’s or Amanda’s houses, playing, taking long walks, and soaking up every ounce of attention from her favorite people in the world, her family.

Schuyler

Sugar's Foster Parent & Adopter

Open your heart and home

Foster

Provide A Safe Haven For An Animal In Need

Save A Life By Fostering

Foster Testimonials

I was
adopted!

Oakley is such a good foster boy!

I was
adopted!

This cutie-pup-tutie quickly settled in and she is a joy to have around!

Have A Question?

Foster FAQS

Can't Volunteer As A Foster?

Give one of our pawsome pups a day filled with adventure!

Mission Moment

Happy Tails

Sugar was brought to the York County SPCA after her owner had passed away.

I fell in love with Sugar the first time I let her sleep in bed with me and Liz... our Christmas gifts to one another were adopting Sugar into our family. After only a few months of fostering, we knew she was already a part of it.

Schuyler

Get Started

Contact Us

Brougher Companion Animal Shelter

Hours

Spay/Neuter Clinic

Hours

Open your heart and home

Foster

Provide A Safe Haven For An Animal In Need

Save A Life By Fostering

Foster Testimonials

I was adopted!

Oakley is such a good foster boy!

I was adopted!

This cutie-pup-tutie quickly settled in and she is a joy to have around!

Have A Question?

Foster FAQS

Can't Volunteer As A Foster?

Give one of our pawsome pups a day filled with adventure!

Mission Moment

Happy Tails

Sugar was brought to the York County SPCA after her owner had passed away.

I fell in love with Sugar the first time I let her sleep in bed with me and Liz... our Christmas gifts to one another were adopting Sugar into our family. After only a few months of fostering, we knew she was already a part of it.

Schuyler

Get Started

Contact Us

Brougher Companion Animal Shelter

Hours

Spay/Neuter Clinic

Hours

I was
adopted!

I was
adopted!