RSPCA WA Foster Care Application Form Your Personal Details Full name: Residential address: Mobile number: Home number: Work number: Email address: Age range (please circle): Under 18 18 25 25 35 35 55 55+ Please note that foster carers must be over 18 for insurance purposes Do you have any medical conditions or disabilities that may limit your ability to carry out certain tasks? If yes, please give details: Please describe your current working situation (eg full-time worker, at home parent, retired etc) including approximately how many hours per day you will be away from home. Where would foster animals be staying when you are not at home? Please describe. Do you have your own reliable transportation and a current WA Drivers License? It is important that you are able to attend the RSPCA Malaga Shelter to collect/drop-off foster animals as well as attend vet appointments as necessary. 1
Please read this question carefully! It is an RSPCA requirement that all foster animals (with the exception of horses and livestock) attend the shelter for veterinary visits at least every fortnight. Some animals may need weekly checks. The availability of our veterinary team is limited due to their high workload and you must be able to attend appointments between 8.30am and 10.00am OR 2.30pm and 4.00pm, Monday to Friday. Are you available at these times? Do you have a current National Police Clearance? If yes, please include a copy with this application. If no, do you object to RSPCA performing a police clearance before you commence fostering? For what length of time are you interested in fostering an animal? Up to 4 weeks Up to 2 months Up to 6 months Up to 1 year Over 1 year Please note that we understand you situation may change and if you become unable to continue caring for a foster animal this is not a problem. Likewise, we hope you will recognise that in some cases (particularly when an animal is being fostered for behavioural reasons) we cannot be completely sure of how long an animal may need to remain in your care. Your home Do you own your own home? If you are renting, written approval from your landlord stating that you may keep animals on the premises must accompany this application. Is your home part of a strata? If yes, do strata regulations allow you to have pets in the home? Are you willing to allow an RSPCA staff member to complete an inspection of your property prior to commencement of fostering? Would you object to an RSPCA staff member conducting an unscheduled property inspection during a foster animal s stay? Do you have home and contents insurance? The RSPCA is not liable for any damage caused to property by your foster animals. Some levels of insurance cover may provide compensation for animal damage this is not compulsory but is recommended. 2
Approximately describe the size of your home. Eg unit, apartment, 3 x1 house. Include size in square metres if known. Is your home multi-story? If yes, are you able to block off access to staircases (especially in the case of an open staircase)? If you are interested in fostering dogs, approximately what size is your yard? Please tell us the height of your fencing and what fences are made from. Are all fences and gates in a state of good repair? Other people in your household Do you have other people living in your home? If yes, please list their name, age and sex below: 1.......... 2.......... 3.......... 4.......... 5.......... 6.......... Is anyone in your home known to have allergies to animals? If yes, how will this affect your ability to foster? Are all people in the home willing to be a part of the foster care process? 3
Animals in Your Household Do you have any animals of your own? Please provide details in table below. Please note we require your animals to be sterilised and vaccinated, and their certificates must accompany this form. If you cannot find your vaccine certificates we are willing to call your vet to get details over the phone Name Breed Gender Age *Desexed (please circle) Vaccinated (please circle) May we contact your regular Veterinary Clinic for a reference/history check? If yes please fill out the details below Name of your current Clinic (including address, phone number and regular attending Veterinarian) Have any of your animals (past or present) ever suffered from any infectious diseases such as cat flu, parvo, ringworm etc? If yes, please give details: 4
Animals you would like to foster! (the fun bit) As you know, the RSPCA receives many hundreds of needy animals each year. This includes everything from mice to horses and all animals in between. We most commonly seek foster homes for cats and dogs, however, our needs change continuously. Please read through all sections below and respond appropriately. Dogs Please circle what types of dogs you are interested in fostering. Adult dogs Puppies Mother with pups Pregnant bitch All If you have a preference for the size of dog, please indicate below Giant breeds over 40kg (eg great dane, irish wolfhound) Large breeds 25 40kg (eg Labrador) Medium breeds 10 25kg (eg staffy, beagle) Small breeds 5 10kg (eg cavalier king Charles spaniel) Toy breeds under 5kg (eg Chihuahua, toy poodle) If you are interested in taking puppies, would you be in a position to care for pups requiring bottlefeeding? If yes, do you have any bottle-feeding experience or would you require training from RSPCA staff? Please give details below. Do you have a fully fenced, safe and secure yard? Where will the dogs/puppies be kept most of the time? Eg inside, in laundry, in yard etc? If possible, please attach some pictures of your yard/the area where the dog(s) will be kept. Will the dogs/puppies be allowed inside? Cats Please circle which types of cats you are interested in fostering. Adult cats Kittens Queen with kittens Pregnant Queen All Are you willing and able to keep cats/kittens inside the house at all times (unless in a secure cat enclosure)? How many kittens would you be willing to foster at one time? Please note it is important for kittens normal social development that they remain with their littermates if possible. 5
If you are interested in fostering kittens, would you be willing to foster orphaned kittens requiring bottle feeding? Be aware that this can be an intensive process and kittens may require feeding every two hours. If yes, do you have any bottle-feeding experience or would you require training from RSPCA staff? Please give details below. Small animals Please circle which animals you are interested in fostering. Rabbits Guinea pigs Mice Rats Ferrets All Please describe where foster animals would be housed. Horses Please detail any horse experience that you have? Please describe where foster horses would be kept on your property and if possible attach photographs of the area to this application. Livestock Please describe any experience with Livestock that you have: Where would the Livestock animals would be housed/kept: Birds Please circle what kinds of birds you are interested in fostering. Poultry (chickens, ducks, geese etc) Small birds (budgies, canaries etc) 6
Large birds (parrots etc) Please describe any experience with Birds that you have: Please describe where birds would be housed/kept: I declare that I have completed this application form honestly and to the best of my knowledge, all information included herein is true and correct. Full name:... Signature:... Date:... The following documentation must accompany this application: 1. Police clearance 2. Copies of sterilisation and vaccination certificates for ALL existing animals 3. Written permission from landlord if renting 4. Photographs of where animals will be kept (if fostering dogs, horses or livestock), if possible. 7
What happens now? Please send your completed application and all necessary supporting information to the RSPCA. You can get it here by email, mail, or drop it off in person. Email: fostercare@rspcawa.asn.au Post: RSPCA WA Foster Care Coordinator PO Box 3147 Malaga WA 6945 Physical address: 108 Malaga Drive, Malaga Although we are in constant need of new foster carers and greatly appreciate your interest in the foster program, unfortunately not all applicants are successful. We will review your application as soon as possible after it is received and will be in contact with you. If your initial application is good, we will contact you to arrange an interview with the Foster Care Coordinator (and one with our Behaviour team if you are applying to foster dogs) and a property inspection. Thank you once again for your interest and we look forward to speaking with you soon. 8