Foster a Dachshund

MWDR does its best, within its means, to take in all needy dachshunds regardless of health, age or temperament. MWDR reserves the right to deny known aggressive and/or dangerous dogs. MWDR takes in dachshund/mixes as long as the dog resembles a dachshund and MWDR has foster space for the dog. Each foster dog MWDR takes in lives in a home with a family for a minimum of week to as long as needed, sometimes months, until the appropriate adoptive home is found for the dog. During this time, the foster dog’s health, potty training, socialization and any other behavioral needs are addressed and improved.

MWDR does not work without good foster families! After reading the following information, the first step to working with MWDR is to submit a foster home application. Once your application is received, the closest rescue representative will contact the personal and veterinarian references you included in your application. The next step would be a home check, where a rescue representative meets you and your family in your home. If everything checks out well, you will be approved to foster rescued dachshunds working directly with a MWDR rescue representative.

MWDR will not adopt to families that have unaltered pets (dogs and cats) unless those animals are champions or are actively being shown, with reasonable expectation of attaining a championship title; are currently too young (proof of age required), and will eventually be altered; or are unable to undergo surgery due to a health risk. To qualify as a foster home, all of your pets (dogs and cats) must be spayed or neutered.

Volunteer foster home care information
The following explains how the foster home and rescue representative work together to help rescued dachshunds.

What are the circumstances that create a foster situation?
Often times a rescue representative receives a call informing them that someone is giving up their dachshund. Most rescue coordination takes place via phone and the Internet. Rescue representatives are not always able to pick up the dogs immediately, and therefore, rescue representatives rely on volunteer foster families to assist. The help of the foster home is very important to the safety of a dog that someone is giving up, because many times if there is not a foster family that can immediately take the dog into their home, MWDR risks the chance that the dog could be left at a shelter, that the dog be given away to someone who is not familiar with dachshunds and their special needs, or that the dog is euthanized.

Why are foster homes needed?
Foster homes provide short-term shelter and a family environment to the rescued dog, until a permanent, adoptive home is found for the dog. Rescued dachshunds are in foster care for a minimum of a week to as long as several months. During this time, the foster family treats the foster dog as one of their own dogs. It is the foster home’s job to learn how the foster dog does with other dogs, children, women, men, cats, riding in the car, being left in a crate, getting his/her nails trimmed, receiving baths, etc. Based on the foster family’s observations, the rescue representative does his or her best to match each foster dog’s character, behavior and needs to an adoptive family.

What is expected of the foster family?
The foster family is responsible for feeding, bathing, socializing and making sure the foster dog is safe in the foster family’s home and yard. The foster family provides high-quality dog food, any toys and dog bedding, and heartworm and flea/tick preventative for each foster dog. The foster family works with each dog to improve his/her health, social and obedience skills, bathroom habits and other skills.

As the foster family, you may not keep the foster dog or give it away to a friend or neighbor at any time. If you feel a foster dog is not working well with your family, please contact your rescue representative to make other arrangements for the foster dog. If the foster dog should have a health situation requiring medication or visits to the vet, the foster family is responsible for making sure the foster dog’s needs are met. The foster family will not be responsible for the costs incurred, but, if needed, be responsible for giving medication as it is prescribed. Veterinarians check all dogs MWDR places. Prior to adoption, every MWDR foster in your care will receive, as needed:

• Routine physical exam (check eyes, ears, mouth, heart, general health);
• Rabies vaccination;
• DHPP vaccination;
• Found negative for or eradicated of parasites (fecal check);
• Found negative for or undergone treatment for heartworms;
• Treatment for ear mites and/or ear infections;
• Spay or neuter procedure with pain medication;
• Blood and urine tests;
• Dental cleanings and extractions; and
• Long-term health conditions identified.

Is the foster family allowed to adopt a fostered dog?
If a rescued dog comes into a foster home, and at the time there is not a permanent home for the rescued dog or an approved home does not match the dog’s situation, the foster family is free to adopt the dog. Please make sure the rescued dog will fit your lifestyle, taking into consideration how well the foster dog can deal with your other pets or children, if any. You are required to adopt the foster dog with an adoption contract and pay the adoption fee to MWDR.

Additional foster information

• Foster dogs often require much patience, as many dachshunds will not be potty trained and many will need positive socialization.

• Having a fenced yard is good but not a requirement. When outside, all foster dogs must be on a leash or a lead, if in an unsecured area.

• All foster dogs must wear an identification (ID) tag helping to return the dog to his or her foster should the dog become lost.

• All foster dogs should be fed high-quality, dry dog kibble. If a prescription diet is needed for a foster dog, the foster family is welcome to pay this expense but is allowed to charge this cost to MWDR.

• MWDR takes in dogs with a broad spectrum of skill levels. The foster dogs need to be worked with and evaluated regarding temperament and socialization skills. You need to take each foster dog to the park or pet-supply stores and see how s/he reacts. The rescue representative needs to know how each dog does with other dogs, children, women, men, cats, riding in the car, being left in a crate, getting his/her nails trimmed, receiving baths, etc.

• High-quality vet care at reasonable prices is essential to MWDR and its foster dogs. MWDR will pay all standard vet care as noted above. When working with MWDR, direct billing is the easiest way for MWDR to pay its bills. MWDR’s treasurer pays the bills usually within a week of receiving the invoices. MWDR asks that veterinarians provide MWDR with a marked discount in services rendered to its rescues. A letter explaining MWDR vetting requirements will be sent to the veterinarian to whom you will take your foster dogs.

Thank you for considering welcoming foster dogs into your home and your life. It is one of the most rewarding things you can do; to see the positive transition and improvements in each dog is heartwarming.

It is often difficult when your foster dogs leave, so be ready to shed tears of joy when your foster dogs meet their new families.