Foster a Pet for Cascades Humane Society
Not ready to adopt but want to make a real difference? Fostering is one of the most impactful things you can do for an animal in need — and CHS makes it as easy as possible to say yes.
How Fostering Works at CHS
As a foster, you provide a temporary home, fresh water, exercise, and plenty of love. CHS provides everything else — food, supplies, veterinary care, and guidance whenever you need it. Foster placements give animals the stability and socialization they can't always get in a shelter environment, which makes them better prepared for permanent adoption. Because CHS is a limited-intake shelter, every foster home we add allows us to help one more animal who would otherwise have nowhere to go.
Animals Who Need Foster Homes
Foster needs vary week to week, but the animals most commonly placed in foster care include:
- Bottle-fed kittens and puppies: Very young animals who need feeding approximately every four hours — a significant time commitment, but one of the most life-saving roles a foster can fill
- Mother cats or dogs with kittens or puppies: Nursing mothers and their litters who need a quiet, low-stress environment to thrive
- Sick or injured cats and dogs: Animals recovering from illness, surgery, or injury who need attentive care in a calm home setting
- Adult cats and dogs: Animals who need more time before they're ready for adoption, or who simply do better outside of a shelter environment
- Special needs animals: Pets with ongoing medical or behavioral needs who require extra patience and attention
How to Apply to Foster
Ready to open your home? Download the foster application PDF and email your completed form to admissions@chspets.org, or submit the electronic application form below. Once your application is reviewed, our team will reach out to match you with an animal whose needs fit your home and schedule.
Foster Questions, Answered
How do I become a foster for Cascades Humane Society?
Download the foster application from this page and email your completed form to admissions@chspets.org, or submit the electronic application form directly on this page. Once we receive your application, our team will follow up to discuss your availability, living situation, and the types of animals that would be the best fit for your home. There is no commitment required until you accept a specific placement.
What does CHS provide to foster families?
CHS provides food, supplies, and all necessary veterinary care for every animal placed in foster. You provide the home, the time, and the attention. If questions or concerns come up during a placement, our team is available to offer guidance — you won't be navigating it alone.
Can I foster if I work full time or have a busy schedule?
It depends on the animal. Adult cats and dogs typically require far less hands-on time than bottle-fed kittens or puppies, which need feeding approximately every four hours. When you apply, let us know your schedule and we'll match you with a placement that's realistic for your availability. Fostering is designed to be flexible enough to fit most lifestyles.
Why does fostering matter if CHS is already a no-kill shelter?
CHS is a limited-intake shelter, which means we can only help as many animals as we have space for. Every foster home creates capacity for one more animal to be taken in. Beyond numbers, foster placements produce better outcomes — animals socialized in a home environment are better adjusted, easier to place, and more likely to thrive in their permanent home. Foster families also learn each animal's personality firsthand, which helps our team make better adoption matches.
What happens when my foster animal is ready to be adopted?
When the animal in your care is ready for adoption, they return to CHS to be matched with a permanent family. If you've fallen in love along the way, adoption is always an option — we call it a foster fail, and it's our favorite kind. If you're ready to take on another placement after your foster moves on, just let us know.