Homeward Trails is a humane organization that puts animals first. If we learn of an animal in need, we will respond if we are at all able. We do not run a shelter or sanctuary and have no facility so foster people are EXTREMELY VALUABLE to our rescue operation. We are limited to the number of animals we can rescue by the number of foster homes in which to place them. This is where you come in. The more foster homes we have, the more animals we can rescue. Thank you for showing interest in the Homeward Trails foster home program!

The Homeward Trails foster home program is a great way to help animals in need. By providing an animal a temporary home, the fosterer has given that animal another chance at life that he/she otherwise would not have had. The foster person’s job is not an easy one. Dogs may need to be housebroken or have separation anxiety issues. Cats may have trust issues and need socialization. Depending on the animal and time of the year, it could take anywhere from a couple of days to a couple of months to find a new home for your foster animal.

To determine if you are right for HT and HT is right for you, take a moment to read our Foster FAQs. If you are ready to jump on board and join the HT Foster Team, please complete the following steps:

A Foster Coordinator will follow up you to provide you with more info about the HT Foster Program and answer any questions you may have. You will be asked to sign a Foster Agreement before getting started. This Agreement clarifies what you can expect from HT and what HT can expect from you. You will also be required to attend an HT Foster Training, offered twice monthly. But don’t worry – we promise not to make this process too overwhelming, boring or tedious. We just want you to have all the support you need so that you can get started helping an animal in need!

Foster Trainings

We hold trainings for new foster volunteers twice each month. These trainings are held at PetMAC- the Marketplace and Adoption Center. PetMAC has 2 locations: 822 N. Kenmore Street, Arlington, just off Wilson Blvd behind Hurt Cleaners, and 4220 Fessenden Street NW, Washington, just off Wisconsin Blvd, near Tenleytown. It is important that you sign up for any training session by sending an email to our volunteer coordinator (volunteer@homewardtrails.org); you must include your name, email address, and telephone number so we can contact you in case the schedule or venue changes, or in case we need to cancel a particular training session.