A foster home, in a word, is a lifesaver. Literally for the dogs and figuratively for rescues. We guess that the majority of rescue groups in the United States would not be in existence if it weren't for foster homes.

A foster home gives a dog a chance to get out of the shelter or off the streets and helps to prepare that dog for adoption. A foster home's primary job is to love the dog as if it were one of its own, but with certain boundaries that will guarantee the smoothest transition to a new home.

Foster homes help housebreak a dog, get a dog over an illness, get a dog a little more socialized, get a dog fattened up or slimmed down. The difference in the before and after foster home experience is truly amazing. Even two weeks in a foster home can make a noticeable change in a dog's physical and mental state.