When we use the term ‘Small furry’, we are referring to the smaller species groups who come through our care. Here are CDCH, this would be Rabbits, Guinea Pigs, Hamsters, Rats, Gerbils and Mice.

We welcome foster homes who wish to care for and love their foster animals as if they were their own, however, as they will remain the responsibility of CDCH, there will be expectations in place.

With all foster animals, you will have discussed a foster agreement and guidelines prior to taking them home, which would outline the expectations we ask you to adhere to. This may differ for each animal you take on; however, we always ask that you continue the care plan we give, rather than introduce your own.

Depending on the animal’s behaviours and needs, it may mean that exposing them certain situations, such as changes to the environment or new people may not be suitable without the guidance of our behaviour team.

Once you have been set up as a fosterer, we always ask you to keep an open mind and look beyond breed preferences and stereotypes. Due to the nature of fostering a small furry, we expect a fosterer to be open to caring for the animal suitable to their space without the need to meet them in person.

As we are unable to house any small species at the centre, we will arrange a suitable date with the foster carer for their transition in to their temporary home. We ask the foster carer to collect the animal from the centre the same day, where we will ensure you leave with all the appropriate supplies.

Although we will always consider the application and set up on a case-by-case basis, we can be more restricted by having existing pets in the home, which will not always be suitable.

All small furries will need to be kept separate from other small species – not only is this to avoid injury, but also to prevent transfer of infections & diseases, as well as the potential to reproduce. Due to this, anyone with existing small pets will need to have a separate space where the animal can be adequately housed and isolated.

For foster rabbits, any existing rabbits in the home must be fully vaccinated – proof of this will be requested.
If we do place a foster animal in the home with other species such as cats or dogs, then we would expect them to be kept separately and for appropriate measures to be in place to ensure their safety at all times.

We understand that most foster carers will likely have their own commitments and may not always be available, which is why we carry out our initial checks and take them in to consideration before placing an animal with you.
As travelling and moving environments can be quite a stressful experience for our smaller creatures, once a foster has been agreed, we would hope that you would be able to care for them for the full length of foster, unless you have a long-term agreement, in which case we fully understand you would require a break.

We are aware that plans can change unexpectedly, therefore ask that any holidays/trips are communicated to us at your earliest convenience. In some short-term cases, we may consider allowing assistance from a trusted friend or family member following some initial checks, however, a foster animal must always be cared for from the home address of the registered fosterer.

It can be very difficult to make unforeseeable arrangements for our small animals, as we rely solely on the space provided by our other fosterers, therefore it’s important to let us know of your plans ahead of time. If you are the spontaneous type and like to take frequent trips away, then we would suggest that fostering may not be suitable for you.

We fully understand that saying goodbye to your foster animal can be difficult, no matter how long they have been in your care, so firstly we thank you for helping them on their journey – if you would like any support following your foster animal leaving, then do get in touch with CDCH.

We hope that although saying goodbye can be sad, you’ll be able to open your home and heart again, to another small animal who needs some extra help.