What Does Fostering A Dog Entail?

  The Foster Journey (In Brief)

1. Application Received & Reviewed: Once we receive your application, we review it carefully. If approved, we move to the next step.  

2. Initial Chat with the team: We’ll set up a Messenger or WhatsApp chat so you can talk directly with Ann, Amber and Zoe. This is a chance to learn more about the dog and explore whether it’s a good match and find out more about the process and how to get the ball rolling!  

3. Home Check: We use an external home checking charity to do our in-person home checks. Alongside this we will ask for a short video and photos showing your home, garden, fencing, gates, and outer doors — plus your safe space for your new friend.

*PLEASE NOTE THE HOME CHECKING CHARITY/TEAM ARE NOT PART OF US THEY ARE EXTERNAL; THEY DO NOT KNOW OUR POLICIES OR PROCEDURES AND ARE NOT THE CONTACT FOR ANYTHING TO DO WITH THE PROCESS OR ANY DECISIONS* 

4. Match Confirmed & Transport Date Set: If everything looks great and we feel it’s a good fit for both dog and family, check the dates that your new friend can come to yourself and speak to our transporters to arrange a transport date and confirm.  

5. Timelines & Brucella test report: Once everything is confirmed with transport, we will start a timeline of what will happen when. including transport booking, passport making, tests and blood tests to be sent to the UK.  

6. Ongoing Support & Updates: The chat stays open throughout the process so you can ask questions. The team will share updates while you wait for your new arrival. When the Brucella paperwork comes back from the lab, Amber will submit this to yourself via email from enquiries@straystostay.co.uk and she will upload them to our internal system for just in case it is ever needed to be sent in the future.   

7. All Aboard the Happy Bus! When the big day comes, your dog hops on the Happy Bus and begins their journey across Europe to you! We will place you in a chat with any other fosters and adopters, and the dogs rescuer! We will send over photos and updates as they come in from transport to that chat and this gives you a chance to speak to the rescuers directly and ask any questions you may have! Also gives you a chance to send over photos as and when your friend arrives !  During this time also Amber will send over your foster contract (please read this before signing) and Amber will update your dogs microchip when they arrive with you, you do not need to touch this at all.  

If an Application Isn’t Approved: Ann will always let you know — kindly and clearly — if your application isn’t successful, and explain why. Sometimes, it’s not the dog you applied for but another might be a better fit (e.g. energy levels, compatibility with cats, etc.). We’re always transparent on this issue.

Important Pre-Travel Prep Every dog’s journey involves thorough preparation. One key requirement is a Brucellosis blood test, now mandatory by DEFRA/APHA in the UK. Samples must be taken to a nominated vet, cultured, and couriered to APHA. Results take around two weeks and will come directly to ourselves. • Negative result — Adoption proceeds, and you’ll receive the APHA certificate. • Positive result — Sadly, the dog cannot travel to the UK. Thankfully, this is extremely rare.  

Transport & Arrival All dogs travel with DEFRA/APHA-approved transporters who are experienced and caring. Fosters/Adopters are added to a transport chat to follow the journey and receive ETA updates. Dogs are delivered directly to your home — no meeting points, just straight to your door. We use RRB, who are a UK based charity that run their own transport company to support their own shelter and dogs that they rescue! We always say when you rescue from us, you also save and fund another charity as well with their work!!  

Post-Foster Support Once your dog arrives, the real journey begins — settling in! We’re always here for advice, reassurance, and support as you welcome your new family member. We ALWAYS welcome photos and updates. 

 Once they are ready for adoption we will start the process and get photos and a full run down of them to start advertising them! 

We will keep you fully up to date on the progress of any applications and always welcome your input with regards to anyone who is interested in the dog. 

We will ask for meets to be done of the dog with their new forever family, if you can not do them, we will always see if one of the team can do them in your place, but we do ask if you can please too. We always suggest neuteral ground, and not your home, for many reasons, one of them being security and privicy for yourselves