Help For A New Carer In Canberra

[kbrown]

I know years ago this was discussed just wondering is there a question sheet/fact sheet to give a new foster carer about how to screen new families for animals in foster care? Wanting to pass something on to her and my days of fostering are long gone. I have sent her things I have thought of but just don't want to miss anything and provide as much support as possible.

[keetamouse]

I know years ago this was discussed just wondering is there a question sheet/fact sheet to give a new foster carer about how to screen new families for animals in foster care? Wanting to pass something on to her and my days of fostering are long gone. I have sent her things I have thought of but just don't want to miss anything and provide as much support as possible.

The deciding factor for me is if everything checks out is I say to myself: would I rehome one of my own dogs to this home, if the answer is yes then I am more than happy to leave the dog.

Maree

CPR

[Her Majesty Dogmad]

Whilst I'd have the foster carer involved in letting me know whether they think the home I'm investigating might suit the dog, this is not a responsibility i would leave with my foster carers. They also wouldn't want to do it.

[Steve]

Whilst I'd have the foster carer involved in letting me know whether they think the home I'm investigating might suit the dog, this is not a responsibility i would leave with my foster carers. They also wouldn't want to do it.

[Just Andrea]

Re above it depends on the carer.

Part of the job of a rescue group is to mentor and develop their carers.

If after coming on several home checks with an experienced carer, a carer is comfortable doing this themselves and I can see they are up to the task then I am all for it.

Of course there are those carers that are not comfortable with or capable of doing this objectively. That's fine too. Everyone has different comfort levels and capabilites.

Carers should never be left on their own and be thrown into something they are not comfortable or experienced enough to deal with but empowering experienced carers to take on new things at their comfort level helps them and an organisation grow - every organisation needs succession planning.

New carers are the experienced carers of tomorrow.

As advised Kirstin I am more than happy to assist. You have my contact details. Cheers.

Edited November 23, 2012 by Just Andrea

[Greytmate]

I think it's important to give new foster carers as much info as you can about preparing the dog for a new home. Grooming, manners, obedience, observation in different settings, there is so much that foster carers can do and that they need to watch out for. But to also have them responsible for screening new homes is asking too much I think.

As well as the risk of an inexperienced carer inadvertently placing the dog in an unsuitable home, you do not want a new foster carer being pressured by people. There are plenty of great homes out there, but there is a whole lot of people out there with strange ideas who will call up about dogs too. It's best if new volunteers don't have to deal with that until they gain some confidence in being a carer.

[nawnim]

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Edited November 28, 2012 by nawnim

[Her Majesty Dogmad]

From my experience, you ALWAYS need to do a yard check. Sometimes people answer the question that they have 5 or 6 ft fencing. Great you say, that's ideal. Can you accept that is all good and place the dog without a worry - no.

When I do homechecks, I may find that in spite of the fact there is 5 or 6 ft fencing as per their answer, I also find that there is a 3ft gate, or a gate with a huge gap under it, or an uneven landscape where in one part, the dog could jump and get over - the list goes on. I've found yards full of Wandering Jew and many other hazards.

I also don't beleive in having people to the house, last time I did they wanted to adopt one of my own dogs rather than the foster LOL.

Depending on the situation, I will go to them or I will meet them in a local park. (not dog park)

Edited November 24, 2012 by dogmad

[kayla1]

From my experience, you ALWAYS need to do a yard check. Sometimes people answer the question that they have 5 or 6 ft fencing. Great you say, that's ideal. Can you accept that is all good and place the dog without a worry - no.

When I do homechecks, I may find that in spite of the fact there is 5 or 6 ft fencing as per their answer, I also find that there is a 3ft gate, or a gate with a huge gap under it, or an uneven landscape where in one part, the dog could jump and get over - the list goes on. I've found yards full of Wandering Jew and many other hazards.

Agree with this. People can have very different understandings of what 'secure' fencing means. Some people assume their fencing is secure simply because their existing dog never attempts to get out. Some tend to exaggerate fence height on the application form or when asked on the phone, and it's not until you actually see the fence that you find out it's nowhere near that height, or is in disrepair etc. Or, as with a couple of potential adopters that I screened a while ago, the fencing itself was secure but they didn't keep the gate shut.

[Steve]

Good points but

1.As long as everyone knows the requirements,possible advantages and disadvantages before they put their hand up, know whats going to be asked of them first etc and they understand how the prospective new owner will get to meet the dog and that they may have people coming and going to their homes and that sometimes those people wont always be reasonable and how to protect themselves.

2.As long as the foster carer is adequately screened and trained in what is required with policies and procedures in writing

3. As long as the group covers insurance to protect their volunteers

As most of you have already learned and after being the intermediary involved in several disputes between foster carers and the new owners and foster carers and the rescue group with usually no winners and people being pretty mad at each other because life after becoming a foster carer isnt always what they had expectations it would be and when you throw in a bit of good old emotion because the foster carer and the owner is attached to the dog make sure you cover it as best you can.

[Aphra]

It's useful to give people an understanding of the procedure up front so that' you're managing expectations. People do, naturally, get upset sometimes, if they don't get a dog they wanted. Nobody likes being rejected.

We have our adoption procedure on our website, and we let people know how it works in the email they get when they make enquiries.

It's also useful to make sure that if there are specific criteria for a dog (needs to be an only dog, no cats, needs another dog, whatever) are made clear up front. It means that where there are unsuitable applicants you can give them really clear feedback about why they weren't successful.

Where there are people who you wouldn't give a dog to in any circumstances we just tell them that there were a lot of applicants and we'll let them know when their number comes up.

We have a couple of experienced foster carers who we trust to make a determination, but others prefer that we do all the decision making, although they like to have input.

My preference is that the decision is shared between us and the foster carer, I don't really want, or expect, a foster carer to be making the decision on their own.

An adoption questionnaire is really useful in the process because it gives you a structured way of getting the basic information you need. Our quesionnaires aren't the final arbitrater, but they're useful in weeding out really unsuitable homes (want an outside only dog when applying for a 3 kg dog, for example), and a basis for asking for additional information where you might need it.

One of the intangibles, which comes from experience, is watching the interaction between people and dog. It is surprising how often the dog chooses. Sometimes you can just watch prospective adopters with a dog and see it's not right. The things I watch for is the quality of interaction, I like to see people get down to the dog's level and play with them, being willing to take the dog for a walk, being comfortable handling a dog, particularly a larger dog.

Listening is really important. By the time people come to meet our animals we've already had some conversation and know the basics, so the meeting for us is not about asking questions so much as watching them handle the animal and listening to them. I listen for things like people telling me stories about their past dogs, their family dogs or their friend's dogs (or cats). People who genuinely like animals will want to tell you about the ones they know or the ones they've loved. People will volunteer information about how they've cared for past animals, even if it's to tell you how much they cost in vet bills!

I listen for people who ask you good questions, about food preferences, or training, or sleeping arrangements. I like it when people show you pictures of their past animals and talk about them, or bring an obviously happy, healthy, shiny existing dog to the meeting.

I've found that if you pay attention, watch the people with the animal and listen carefully both for what they tell you and for what they don't tell you, you'll learn a lot about someone in a hour or so.

Our basic rule is that we won't adopt an animal to someone we don't like, no matter how good a home it seems to be.