Tallahassee Animal Services takes in nearly 5,000 homeless animals every year. With limited kennel space, we rely heavily on our local community to open their hearts and homes to these animals, providing them with love and care while they wait for their forever family.
Who can foster?
Any Leon County resident who is at least 18 years old and has a little extra room in their home and heart can become a foster parent! Whether you are a college student, a retiree or work full-time, we can surely find a foster animal that will suit your schedule and lifestyle. We do require that your personal pets be spayed/neutered and up to date on vaccines (for their protection) and that you have prior approval from your landlord if you do not own your home.
What does it cost?
Being a foster parent is completely free to you! We provide all basic supplies to our foster parents—food, collar and leash, crates and carriers, treats, toys and anything else you and your foster pet might need for everyday care—at no cost to you. Additionally, all veterinary care for your foster animal is handled by Tallahassee Animal Services staff, so no out-of-pocket veterinary expenses are incurred by our foster parents. You provide a loving home and extra advocacy for their adoption, and we take care of the rest!
What types of animals are in need of foster care?
- Infants
Puppies and kittens who arrive at our shelter under 8 weeks of age need some time to grow up in a foster home before they can be adopted. In 2025, Tallahassee Animal Services sent over 350 underage kittens and puppies into foster care. Many of these infants need only a few weeks of socialization and care before they are old enough to be adopted.
- Space Needs
There are sometimes more adoptable animals at the shelter than we have kennels for. Every pet sent into foster care opens up extra time, space and resources for other animals in our shelter. We rely on our foster community as a key component in our goal of zero euthanasia of adoptable pets.
- Medical Needs
Some of our shelter animals have treatable conditions that just need a little extra care in a home. From dogs that need to undergo heartworm treatment, to cats with upper respiratory infections, to recent amputees (also called tri-pawds), many ailments fall into this category and benefit greatly from the tender loving care provided in a foster home.
- Behavioral Needs
Not all animals do well in the shelter environment, and foster homes can provide the quiet, consistency, patience and one-on-one care they need to come out of their shell and thrive.
How long will a foster pet stay in my home?
The length of time an animal stays in foster care varies. Many spend only a few weeks in a foster home before they are adopted; others who are harder to place may take longer. We are dedicated to finding forever homes for these animals as quickly as possible. If long-term fostering is not an option for you, you can still help! Sleepovers, field trips, pet sitting for foster pets and other temporary foster placements are still a huge help to our animals and our shelter.
Finding a Forever Home
There are lots of ways that our foster parents can help find a forever home for foster animals! In addition to being featured on our social media, website and other outlets, we keep you informed about special events at our shelter and around town that will allow you to bring your foster animal for extra visibility to potential adopters.
All adopters must complete an approved adoption questionnaire and pay all adoption fees before taking possession of the animal.
What if I get attached?
Getting attached to an animal in your care is a normal part of fostering; we want you to care deeply about your foster pets! Foster parents serve as a crucial stepping stone in an animal's journey from the shelter to a happy forever home. By fostering, you play an integral role in animals' lives, and that's something you can feel great about! If you do decide to adopt your foster pet, we hope that you will continue to foster animals in need.
I can't foster right now, so how can I help?
If you aren't able to currently take in a foster pet, but you hope to start fostering in the future, we recommend filling out the interest form anyway! Once onboarded, you have a full 12 months to get started with fostering, and joining the team ahead of time means you can jump right in as soon as you're ready! If you think you will want to take in a foster pet, short-term or long-term, within the next year, now is a great time to join the team.
If fostering is not an option for you, donate! Our foster program relies on donations from the public to supply our foster parents with everything they need. Check out our wish list!
How do I get started?
- Complete the Foster Interest Form through our online portal
- Submissions are reviewed weekly. You will receive a confirmation email that your submission was received. If you have a specific question about fostering or your submission, please email our Foster Coordinator at fosterpets@talgov.com
- A Foster Team staff member will follow up with you via email with more information and next steps.
- Following a virtual Q&A with our Foster Coordinator, we will share the orientation video to get you onboarded as a new foster parent, then you'll be ready to start your fostering journey! We can't wait to add you to the team!