Foster

About Fostering

We are always in need of foster homes for our Goldens awaiting adoption to their forever homes. TVGRR covers all medical expenses and provides monthly heart-worm and flea preventative for the dogs in our foster program. Our fosters need to be in the Knoxville area or within a 50 mile radius for convenience.

We do ask that the foster families bring their foster Golden to Meetups whenever possible. You will be contacted in plenty of time to let you know what events are planned and where they will be. It is always a fun gathering.

Because foster families get to know the personality of the dog so well, we also ask that they speak with potential adopters, usually via phone or email, to help gauge if the home would be a good fit for that Golden. Your opinion weighs a great deal on the final decision. Fostering is a truly rewarding experience! While it can be hard to say goodbye when your foster dog has found their forever home, it’s well worth it (and it does get easier!).

Hear what one of our fosters, Joe Hackney has to say about his experiences and the…Joy of Fostering. (the dogs mentioned below are on our 2019 Waggin Tails Page)

Since I choose to foster dogs, it has opened my world to extraordinary experiences. Every one of my fostered dogs was unique, with individual needs and circumstances. Every rescued dog had a story. Some we knew, some we could only speculate.

My first foster was an 8-month-old female, small Golden mix named Embers. She was injured in a structure fire and sustained burns on various parts of her body. She was a precious girl with an unstoppable spirit. Embers didn’t know her basic commands, wasn’t completely housebroken. She was so intelligent she made significant progress the month she lived with my crew and me. A beautiful couple adopted her, and her new name is Franny.

The next two were 1½-year-old male English Cream Golden Retriever mix named Loki and a 2-year-old female Great Pyrenees named Kara. They were saved by a cat rescue organization who saw the less than desirable living conditions and persuaded the owner to surrender them. They then contacted TVGRR who accepted them with open arms. Loki was full of energy and curious about his world. And a great family of four took him to his forever home. He is now known as Cooper. Kara is more reserved but friendly and loving. She found her forever home when I had “Foster Failure.” Foster failure is when a foster parent adopts the dog themselves. I swore it wouldn’t happen to me. Oops!

The fourth was a 2-year-old female English Cream mix named Greta. Someone just set her out on a dirt road and left. Rescued by someone in the neighborhood, she was then transferred to TVGRR to find her a great home. Greta was the sweetest soul and just fun to be around. She stayed a short time when her forever family took her home. She is living her dream as Willow.

These dogs have enriched my life tremendously. I was proud of them when they overcame obstacles that life handed them. They’ve shown me love without measure. And when the day came that they went to a forever home, it was bittersweet with happiness and sadness. But they indeed never leave, they will forever remain in my heart, plus their families are kind enough to send updates with pictures. And occasional visits.

I want to encourage people to foster. Fosters get to know their dogs. That gives TVGRR a better picture of the dog and a tremendous help in matching the dog to an adopter. Plus it’s just better for the dog as they get to stay in a home. And they will thrive. If you love dogs and your life doesn’t have a space for a permanent dog, but you would like to have a dog occasionally. Try Fostering!! TVGRR is excellent to Foster for, as they will try to accommodate your needs. I have a diverse crew of 5, and I still want to make a difference by helping a dog in need. The upside to Fostering is knowing that you made a tremendous difference in a dog’s life. Please understand there is only one downside to Fostering, the tears of joy when they find a forever home.

If you’re interested in fostering, please fill out the adoption application (no need to pay the application fee if fostering). Once you fill out the application, we’ll stop by for a home visit and then connect you with the adoption and fostering coordinators to determine which available Golden would be the best fit for your home.

FILL OUT AN APPLICATION

Our Goldens Need Your Help!

VOLUNTEER

HELP NOW!