The LHS Foster Program

Foster Department Hours
Open Daily: 8am-9am
10am-12pm
2pm-6pm 

Supporting a Foster Community!

The Foster Program is a vital part of the life-saving work the Lynchburg Humane Society does every year. In 2022, 1,495 pets were placed into foster homes, allowing those pets to grow and develop, while making space in our center to save more pets’ lives! 

How Can You Support the LHS Foster Program?

Easy answer- Foster pets! Fostering doesn’t have to be long-term or a high commitment.  We only ask for a two week commitment to get started. Our team will match you to the right pet and equip you with all the supplies and resources needed to set you up for success! 

Embark on a memorable, lifesaving adventure with the Lynchburg Humane Society! Fostering pets is such a rewarding experience. You are part of a community of lifesavers that enable LHS to save thousands of pets in our community every year. Foster parents are an essential part of making our mission a reality, and reaching the ultimate goal of a place where all pets are given the medical and behavioral care they need to be placed in loving homes. Be a part of our growing community and this fantastic journey, as pets and people find happiness!

We Provide the Pet, You Provide the Love, Space, and Attention! There are different types of fosters have varying commitment levels, and our team can work with you to find a foster that best fits your situation.

Apply Here!

Foster Parent Responsibilities:

We can never quite express how much we appreciate everything our foster families do for their foster pets! But what is expected of our foster parents aside from providing love, space, and attention?

  • Provide efficient and temperature-appropriate shelter for your foster pet(s)
  • Provide a safe, clean, and nurturing environment for your foster pet(s)
  • Have food and clean water accessible to your foster pet(s)
  • Monitor your foster pet’s physical and mental well-being and alert LHS with any abnormalities 
  • Provide exercise and socialization for your foster pet(s)
  • Provide transportation to and from shelter/vet appointments
  • Keep foster pet(s) separated from other pets in the home for the quarantine period

Frequently Asked Questions About Fostering

Types of Fostering:

There are many types of fosters: Kitten Warriors, Puppy Crusaders, Adult Cats, Adult Dogs, Petcations, Hospice Heroes, and more! Ask us more about these programs by emailing our team at [email protected], or read through the LHS Foster resources on our Foster Portal.

There are a variety of reasons why a pet may require foster care. The largest population of pets in our foster program are kittens and puppies that are too young to be adopted and need extra care that we cannot provide in the building. These include kittens and puppies that need bottle or syringe feedings, mothers nursing their babies, and weaned kittens who just need to grow and stay healthy! No matter how comfortable we try to make the environment at the LHS Center for Pets, many animals who come through our doors do not thrive in this setting. Adult cats and dogs may require special attention or just need a break from the stress.  We also love to send pets into foster who need medical care- as a home environment and TLC can make an incredible difference in a pet’s recovery. Sometimes LHS needs a little help making space so we don’t become overcrowded. We also often need to make room to bring dogs or cats from other shelters who may be at a high risk of euthanasia. When you foster, you are truly saving a life!

The saying rings true- sometimes it does take a village! Our active and growing Foster Community is centralized around our private Facebook Group, community events & fundraisers, and our shared love for the pets. We share the burden of rescue work by offering both tips and tricks, sharing and supporting each other’s foster journeys, and enabling each other to find relief and take breaks. We are excited to start offering more in-person and virtual events in 2022 to bring our community together. Check out the LHS Facebook page for upcoming events! Pictured is a pre-pandemic Foster Paint Night!

Becoming an LHS Foster Parent:

Step 1: Fill out or Foster Application.

Step 2: Join our Foster Community!

Step 3: Find the pet to match your lifestyle.

Step 4: Pick up your new best friend! We provide all of the supplies and resources you will need.

Step 5: Enjoy the love of a foster pet! Foster your pet until they are ready to graduate or are adopted!

Your foster pet’s Graduation Day is a day to celebrate your accomplishments with your foster pet and community. Just like students completing their schooling, our foster pets have completed their time in foster care and met the goal of becoming eligible for adoption! 

As #Kittenwarriors or #Puppycrusaders, your goal is to get these pets old enough, big enough, and healthy enough for adoption! Across the United States, there are still so many pets that don’t get this chance. But because of the support and exceptional caregiving of our foster community, LHS is able to place hundreds of these vulnerable pets into foster care and give them the best chance possible for a full and long life! 

This is a HUGE accomplishment and we want to celebrate it! We want you to be involved in their graduation day announcement. Prior to their return please share your favorite pictures with the pets, or pose with them at the center with our graduation props!

Email [email protected] or by phone at 434.448.0088, extension 106.

Our foster program wouldn’t be possible without support from our generous donors and organizations like Petco Love. Petco Love, an independent nonprofit, is changing lives by making communities and pet families closer, stronger, and healthier. Since its founding in 1999 as the Petco Foundation, they’ve empowered over 4,000 animal welfare organizations by investing nearly $300 million in adoption and other lifesaving efforts.

Petcation Program

Can’t commit to a traditional foster? Want to take a dog on an adventure for the day, or take a pet on  a weekend slumber party? Check out our Petcation program.

In 2019 Lynchburg Humane Society, launched a new lifesaving program called Petcations! Petcations are available thanks to a grant through Maddie’s Fund and they give dogs and cats the opportunity to spend time exploring the world outside of LHS. Members of the public (18 years or older) can come in and take pets out for day trips or for slumber parties! Day trips can last from one hour to all day. A hike, a trip to the lake, or a nice dinner at a pet friendly restaurant are just some ideas for you and one of our adoptable pets. Slumber parties consist of taking a pet home for a night (or two!) and giving them some time in a home setting. Come in and sign up, find a pet, grab a bag, and go. A backpack or tote bag will be provided with everything you need for a successful field trip or sleepover. You do not have to be a foster or volunteer to participate in this program.

Can’t foster but still want to support our program?

You can donate supplies, attend program events, participate in fundraisers, volunteer at the shelter and adopt our foster program graduates! Consider donating: linens, towels, blankets, pet beds, pet carriers, pet crates, litter boxes, scoops, dog toys, and/or cat toys. 

The LHS Foster Program relies on your donations of funds and supplies to provide the essentials to their foster families. Our greatest needs include digital (rectal) thermometers, kitchen (ounce) scales, pet bottle kits, “Miracle Nipples,” Purina Kitten Chow, Purina Puppy Chow, KMR (kitten milk replacement), ESIBILAC (puppy milk replacement), puppy canned food, kitten canned foods, small metal bowls, ceramic bowls, heating pads, heating rice socks, heating disks, gentle unscented baby wipes, baby blankets, and puppy pads.

You can purchase supplies off our Amazon Wishlist here and have them shipped directly to us.

Thank you for your support!

Visit our LHS Foster Portal for more information and resources!