Interested in fostering a pet in your home? Wonderful, we need people just like you.

Fostering helps pets get out of the shelter environment and into loving homes to mirror what should be a normal life for a pet.

Fostering shelter pets helps pets decompress and adjust to home life experiences like other pets, kids, family members, etc. 

How Long Must I Foster? 

You can opt to foster for as few as three weeks or as long as three months. Potential adopters will arrange with our animal care staff to meet your foster pet at our center, and we provide any medical care for the pet while they are in your foster care. 

When a potential adopter wants to meet the pet in your care, you will hear from a staff member who will arrange the meet-up with you.

To learn more about fostering one of our shelter dogs or shelter cats, take a look at our Adult Dog Foster Manual or Adult Cat Foster Manual. 

What if I Need a Little Time to Decide to Adopt?

If you have other pets in your home whom your new pet will need to meet, or you have never had pet a pet before, you may want to consider our Foster-to-Adopt program, which allows you to foster for 14 days prior to signing an adoption agreement. 

If someone expresses a desire to adopt the pet while you are fostering, you would be given the option to adopt or bring the pet in for a meet-and-greet with the prospective adopter.

Kitten Fostering

Over 5,500 kittens are brought to our shelter every year, but that can often do more harm than good. Learn more about what to do when you find kittens in your neighborhood.

When we do receive kittens, we operate an on-site Kitten Nursery to respond to their critical needs.  This dedicated space is a place where community pet lovers like yourself can come and help us care for the feline babies while we work toward finding them a foster home or rescue partner to ensure their immediate care. 

How Can I Help You Help Kittens in Need?

In the spring, we often receive more kittens in need of round-the-clock care than accommodate. You can help us help kittens by fostering and taking care of them in your home. We have short-term (overnight) and long-term fostering opportunities. Take a look at our Kitten Foster Manual to get better acquainted with fostering our kittens.  

Foster Parent Resources:

For general information, supplies, and non-emergency matters email SJFoster@sanjoseca.gov. If you are fostering kittens email SJKitten@SanJoseCA.gov

Want to assist us in promoting your foster pet and help them get adopted? Fill out our Help Promote Your Foster Pet form to feature your foster pet on our social media platforms. 

Non-Emergency Medical Concerns

If you have any non-emergency medical concerns about your foster pet, please fill out our Foster Questionnaire. Once you have completed the questionnaire our medical team will get back to you within 24 to 48 hours. 

Emergency Medical Concerns

If you believe your foster pet is having a medical emergency, please contact the following numbers accordingly. 

Emergency Medical Concerns:

Monday through Friday

7 a.m. to 5 p.m.  

Text 408-797-6267

After Hours Emergency Medical Concerns:

Seven Days a Week

5 p.m. to 7 a.m.

Call 408-439-5726