Volunteering

Volunteer Foster Parent (Puppy)

For Canine Partners

Register your Interest

Foster Parents to support our Puppy Parent satellites. To provide short term care and holiday cover for puppies from 8 weeks plus, ranging from day cover to a few weeks care.

Covering basic care and exercise requirements for the individual puppy as well as helping them to adapt to living with different carers and routines. Maintain basic training and behaviour plans for their development age, such as toilet training and loose lead walking, both in the home and in residential areas.

Inform the puppies trainer how the puppy and their training continued throughout the foster.

By volunteering you will:

• Be a valued member of our Charity
• Know that you are integrally involved in the care and training of a dog that will change the life of a person waiting for their Canine Partner
• Benefit from the companionship and enjoyment of having a dog in your life without lifelong commitment or costs associated with dog ownership o Can meet like-minded people
• Opportunity to develop your knowledge of puppy development and training

What is involved:

• Care for a dog in your home as a temporary placement. This can range from days, weekends, weeks, months, depending on the charity’s needs. 
• Be available for: home visits, virtual online training, one-to-ones 
• Maintain basic training and obedience in the home and local residential areas
• Be available for pre-planned holiday and emergency cover
• Attend vet visits when necessary or needed

• Maintaining the dog’s health and welfare and, via support and training, to recognise behaviour/health concerns and report them immediately to your Canine Partners trainer

  Support and Training:

Induction process which includes submitting of information form, telephone interview, home visit, training, and handling sessions. Each volunteer is allocated a Canine Partners trainer as their first point of contact.

You will receive regular training, resources, and other essential information via your trainer, this may be in the format of physical copies, digital or in person No previous dog ownership experience is needed but you must meet the criteria listed above to be considered. 

Skills

What we require from you:

• The primary Fosterer must be 18 years or over
• Reside in a house/bungalow/ground floor flat with a dog friendly secure garden (non-shared) and a designated dog toileting area (this will be discussed during Telephone Assessment)
• If you are a dog owner, you can have two pet dogs of suitable temperament. Your pet dogs will be assessed as part of the home assessment. They must be over 18 months of age
• At home for most of the day and live within 45minutes of the requested location
• Time to maintain basic training and obedience in the home and local residential areas
• Practical and physical role with the ability to recognise your own limitations.’ For example, lifting and carrying a 12kg puppy
• Settling your foster dog into a new home requires time and patience. It can take a while for them to feel completely relaxed. Settling in period will be different with each puppy/dog.
• Keep in touch with your staff point of contact with regular updates
• Access to own transport to travel to vet appointments and meet your trainer, as required
• Understand that the dog in your care remains under the ownership of Canine Partners

About Canine Partners

Canine Partners is a registered charity that transforms the lives of people with physical disabilities by partnering them with assistance dogs. Our amazing dogs bring a greater independence and quality of life to their partners, offering security, companionship, and practical help with everyday household tasks. These life-changing dogs also provide psychological and social benefits including increased independence, confidence, social interaction and self-esteem

Details

• No - DBS check required
• Yes - Equality and Diversity Policy
• Yes - Expenses reimbursed
  Preapproved expenses, Payment of expenditure such as mileage to and from a training session with a Canine Partner representative
• Yes - Health and Safety Policy
• Yes - Is it fully accessible
• Yes - Ongoing support
• Yes - Suitable for physical or sensory impairment
• No - Suitable for Under 18's
• Yes - Training provided
• Yes - Volunteer induction
• Yes - Volunteer Policy
• Yes - Volunteers covered by insurance
• Yes - Written role description

Availability

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