Foster matching

Before you match: add foster families

Foster families need to be in your system before you can place animals with them. To add a foster home:

1. 1
   Go to Adoptions (under the Animals section in the left nav), open the Foster Matchmaker tab, and click Add foster home.
2. 2
   Fill in their name, contact info, address, and home type (apartment, house, yard, etc.).
3. 3
   Set their preferences: species they can take, max number of animals, and any restrictions (no dogs over 40 lbs, cats only, etc.).
4. 4
   Click Save. The foster home is now available for placement.

Matching an animal to a foster

Matching happens from the Foster Matchmaker tab, inside Adoptions.

1. 1
   Go to Adoptions and open the Foster Matchmaker tab.
2. 2
   Pick the animal that needs a foster. A panel shows available homes filtered to those that match the animal's species.
3. 3
   Review the list. Each card shows: name, current capacity, species preferences, home type, and distance from your rescue (if addresses are on file).
4. 4
   Pick how you want to place them. Click Send request to email the foster an accept/decline link -- the placement isn't confirmed until they respond. Or click Add placement to create the placement immediately in-app, no email involved.

Sent-but-not-yet-answered requests sit in the Pending requests tab until the foster accepts or declines.

Check-ins and updates

Once an animal is placed, Fosterling can automatically send the foster family check-in reminders. Configure this in Settings > Foster portal > Check-in interval.

Fosters respond through their portal or via SMS (if you have SMS check-ins enabled). Their responses appear in the animal's History tab as check-in entries.

Check-ins are foster-submitted only -- there's no way to log one from your side. If a foster is overdue, message them directly or clear the attention flag once you've followed up.

Ending a placement

When a foster placement ends:

1. 1
   Open the animal's record and go to the History tab.
2. 2
   Click End placement next to the current assignment.
3. 3
   Choose what happens to the animal next: don't change, Adopted, Available for adoption, Needs another foster, Medical hold, or Stayed with this foster. Add a note if you want more detail.
4. 4
   Set the end date and click Confirm. The foster home's capacity opens back up and the placement is logged in the animal's history.

Foster home capacity tracking

The Foster Matchmaker tab shows a capacity bar for each home -- how many animals they currently have vs. their maximum. Homes at capacity show "Full" and are filtered out of the placement panel by default.

To override capacity (place an animal with a full home), click Show all homes in the placement panel filter. Homes over capacity show a warning, but you can still confirm the placement.

Foster history

Every placement is logged on both the animal's record and the foster home's record, including start date, end date, reason for ending, and any notes. This history is never deleted -- even after an animal is adopted you can see their full foster history.

A few more things Foster Matchmaker can do

• AI match insights -- click Analyze matches on an animal to get AI-ranked foster suggestions with reasoning (Rescue plan and up)
• Foster-to-adopt -- flag a placement as a trial with adoption intent
• Foster care agreements -- send an e-signed agreement alongside a placement
• Respite & backup coverage -- a foster can request short-term backup coverage when they need a break

Can I place multiple animals with the same foster home at once?

Yes, as long as the home has remaining capacity. Each animal gets its own placement record.

How does the foster family access their portal?

When you place an animal with them, they receive an email with a magic link to the foster portal. No password needed. You can resend the link from the placement's detail page.

Can fosters log their own notes and updates?

Yes, if you have the foster portal enabled. Their updates appear in the animal's History tab and Notes tab with a 'Foster' badge.

What happens to the foster home's record when all their animals are placed elsewhere?

The foster home remains in your system with a status of 'Available'. Their history is preserved. They'll show up next time you search for available homes.

Can I see all animals a particular foster home has ever had?

Yes -- open the foster home's record and click the History tab. Every placement is listed with dates and outcomes.