Getting Your Foster Adopted

Fostering is one of the most rewarding ways to make a difference. You’re not just giving a pet a place to stay — you’re giving them the chance to start again. Every day your foster spends with you helps them grow more confident, relaxed, and ready to meet their forever family.

At Fort Worth Animal Care & Control (FWACC), we rely on our foster community to help animals shine outside the shelter environment. From completing report cards to attending adoption events and sharing your foster’s story, every step you take helps us connect pets with the people who will love them for life.

Your Foster Report Card is one of the most important tools in helping your foster get adopted.
We ask that you complete it at both the one-week and three-week mark of fostering.

These updates give our team valuable insight into your pet’s progress, behavior, and personality. They help us:

• Build your foster’s online bio for our adoption site

• Highlight your foster on social media

• Identify opportunities for rescue and transport

• Tag pets for our PetSmart Everyday Adoption Centers

Dog Foster Report Card

Cat Foster Report Card

A detailed report card also allows us to advocate for your foster behind the scenes — ensuring they’re seen by the right people, in the right places, at the right time.

Visibility is everything. FWACC offers multiple ways to help your foster meet their perfect match.

Our PetSmart Everyday Adoption Centers are a fantastic way to get your foster in front of hundreds of adopters every week.

📍 PetSmart Hulen – 4800 SW Loop 820
📍 PetSmart Alliance – 2901 Texas Sage Trail
📧 fwaccpetsmart@fortworthtexas.gov

Fosters have two ways to participate:

1. Doggy Day Camp Program
Drop your foster off in the morning and pick them up in the evening — a great option for exposure without a long-term stay.
Fosters must commit to 5 out of 7 days per week to participate.

2. Full-Time Placement
Leave your foster at the adoption center until they’re adopted. If your pet hasn’t been adopted within 2–3 weeks, we recommend rotating them back into foster care to help prevent kennel stress (this is optional).

These centers are an incredible networking resource and a proven way to help your foster find their forever home faster.

FWACC hosts weekly off-site adoption events throughout the community — giving your foster even more opportunities to connect with adopters.

These events allow potential adopters to meet your foster in a relaxed, welcoming setting and give your pet the chance to show off their personality outside of the shelter.

You can view upcoming adoption events and sign up to attend HERE

When a potential adopter reaches out about your foster, our team will email you directly with their information.
We ask that you respond within 48 hours of receiving the email.

You have two options:

• Option 1: Reach out to the potential adopter yourself to share details about your foster and schedule a meet and greet.

• Option 2: Let our team coordinate the meet and greet on your behalf.

For safety reasons and to ensure a smooth adoption process, all meet and greets must take place at one of our four FWACC locations or a PetSmart Adoption Center — unless you already know the interested adopter personally.

During these meetings, our staff can assist with the adoption process and answer any questions from the adopter, making it a positive experience for everyone involved.

FWACC now offers Deferred Adoptions, which allow potential adopters to take a pet home for 2–3 weeks before finalizing the adoption — similar to a foster-to-adopt trial.

This option helps both the adopter and the animal adjust to home life and confirm that it’s the right match.
Deferred adoptions must be processed in person at one of our four FWACC locations.

🆓 Adoption fees are currently waived, but all adoptions (including deferred) must still be completed in person with valid identification.

When speaking with potential adopters, it’s important to help them think through what life with your foster will look like. These simple, open-ended questions can help ensure the best fit:

• What does your daily schedule look like?

• Have you had pets before? If so, tell me about them!

• Do you currently have other pets at home?

• How do you plan to introduce a new pet to your household?

• What kind of activities are you hoping to do with your new pet?

• Where will your pet stay when you’re not home?

• How do you see this pet fitting into your family’s lifestyle?

These conversations not only help find the right match for your foster — they also give adopters a chance to reflect, ask questions, and feel supported throughout the process.

Every update you submit, every event you attend, and every connection you make helps us move one step closer to our shared goal:
Finding a forever home for every foster within three months of entering care.

Your dedication makes that goal possible — and for every animal you foster, you’re changing their story for the better