GAL house all their homeless dogs either in Kennels or Foster Homes prior to them going to their new permanent homes. Our foster homes provide us with the opportunity to fully assess the dog in a home environment, it also gives the dog the perfect opportunity to start adjusting to the home environment.

So, what do GAL need from a foster home?

1. We need people with the time on their hands to allow a homeless dog into their home and give it the space, TLC and time to adjust to his new surroundings.

2. We need people who have had some experience with dogs and preferably with Greyhounds or Lurchers. The dogs first few days in a foster home can often be upsetting for both dog and foster parent, imagine if you'd lived in a cold damp bedsit, alone, for the first quarter of you life and were suddenly moved into a warm friendly environment with lots of people and new interesting thing to do! It can be very stressful, usually a new foster dog will be upset, be off his food, and pace and pant for the first day or so.

3. Ideally a foster home will be a home where there's someone about for atleast part of the day, if you work full time then fostering isn't for you, even if you can make it home at lunchtime! We don't really mind if there's other dogs in the house, often a second dog helps the foster dog settle quicker. If you have a cat then I'm afraid we probably can't use you (unless you want to foster pups!)

4. GAL have a dedicated Fostering Co-Ordinator, she will be your main contact with GAL during your period of fostering. We'll offer ALL the support that is needed! In return one thing we do ask our foster homes to do is to give us continual assessments of the foster dogs well being and behaviour. We'll be looking for information like how the dog has settled, whats his manner like, how he is around dogs and kids, the sort of information that will help GAL find a permanent home for him.