A dog sitting in front of a Christmas tree

Home for the Holidays: Foster a shelter dog this holiday

December 17 2024 –

With many animals in need of homes, the City of Vancouver’s Animal Services department is encouraging residents with pet-owning experience to consider fostering a shelter dog for two weeks this holiday season. Dogs available for fostering range in age from newborn puppies to senior dogs. 

"Fostering a dog during the holidays will help bring comfort and joy to a shelter animal in need," said Kim Rosenmayer, Assistant Manager of Animal Services. "Our team carefully reviews each foster application to ensure our animals are placed in safe and nurturing homes. And who knows? Many fosters experience what we lovingly call a 'foster fail,' where they decide to officially adopt their foster pet, creating a forever home for the holidays and beyond."

How to Foster

Interested foster parents can apply by emailing animal.shelter@vancouver.ca with the following information:

  • Name, address and phone number
  • A description of your household, including whether you have children or other pets – this will help staff match potential foster parents with a shelter dog
  • Indicate whether you’re interested in fostering, adopting or fostering to adopt

Once approved, foster parents can meet and pick up their dog anytime before December 22 and return the dog on or after January 2. Animal Services will provide food and toys for the foster dogs. Animal Services is not able to accept walk-ins. To view a list of dogs and small animals available for adoption, please visit our pages on Adopt-a-Pet or Petfinder . 

Pets are not presents

While it may be tempting to surprise a loved one with a pet as a gift this holiday season, Animal Services strongly encourage thoughtful consideration before adopting or purchasing a pet. Pets are a life-long responsibility, and it’s important to ensure that everyone involved is ready for the commitment. Please consider factors such as lifestyle, willingness to care for an animal long-term and prior pet experience before adopting. Treating an animal as a gift may not provide the level of consideration and responsibility that a pet deserves.

Other ways to help

Not everyone may be in a position to foster or adopt an animal. For those interested in helping in other ways, Animal Services have put together a wish list of items for the animals at the shelter. 

To learn more about the City’s animal shelter, and how to adopt a pet, please visit: vancouver.ca/adopt.