Foster a Dog or Cat

Some animals need a short-term safe place, extra support, or time away from a more stressful environment before they are ready for adoption. Fostering can give them stability, comfort, and a better chance of moving forward.

What is fostering?

Fostering means opening your home to a cat or dog on a temporary basis while APROP works towards the best possible long-term outcome for them. For many animals, this means preparing for adoption, while others may need time to recover from illness or injury, build confidence, develop social skills, or simply receive extra care and assessment.

Every animal’s journey is different. Some may need a foster home because they are very young, elderly, recovering from treatment, feeling anxious, or because they simply cope better in the comfort and stability of a home than in a shelter environment. Whatever their circumstances, fostering gives them the chance to rest, grow, and flourish while we find the right next step for their future.

Why foster with APROP?

Give a cat or dog a second chance. Your home can provide the safety, comfort and stability they need to recover, build confidence or prepare for their forever home.
Make a difference, your way. Fostering can be short-term, long-term or indefinite, depending on the animal’s needs and your circumstances.
Help us understand them better. Life in a home helps us learn about an animal’s personality, behaviour and needs, making it easier to find the right future for them.
We’ll support you every step of the way. From practical advice to veterinary care and ongoing guidance, APROP is always here to help.
Enjoy the rewards of pet companionship. Experience the joy of caring for an animal while knowing you’re helping change their life.
Help us save even more lives. Every foster home frees up valuable space and resources, allowing us to take in and care for more cats and dogs in need.

Types of fostering

Short-term

Sometimes a dog simply needs a temporary home away from the shelter. This might be:

To recover from an operation, illness or medical treatment.
To give us the opportunity to assess their behaviour in a home environment before they travel to an adopter outside Spain.
Because they are particularly stressed or simply cannot cope with shelter life.
To provide a safe and quiet environment during a period of treatment or rehabilitation.

For these dogs, even a few weeks in a home environment can make an enormous difference.

Long-term & indefinite

The majority of our foster placements, however, are long-term or indefinite.

These are generally dogs who, because of their age, a serious or ongoing health condition, or other circumstances, are unlikely to be adopted in the usual way.

We believe these dogs still deserve the opportunity to spend the remainder of their lives in the comfort and security of a loving home rather than growing old in the shelter.

An indefinite foster gives them exactly that.

They remain APROP dogs throughout their lives, and APROP remains responsible for them and is always there to support their foster family.

What does APROP pay for?

APROP covers all essential costs for every dog in foster care.

This includes veterinary treatment, medication and any special or prescription food that the dog may require. Where there are other essential costs relating to the dog’s health, care or wellbeing, these are also covered by APROP.

Many of our foster families choose to provide everyday food and other small items themselves, but this is entirely their choice and is never a requirement of fostering.

Most importantly, our foster families are never left to manage alone. APROP provides advice, practical help and support throughout the entire time the dog is in foster care – whether that is for a few weeks or for the remainder of their life.

Foster process

Fill out our application form

Talk with the potential foster family to understand their home, lifestyle and experience and discuss what type of dog would be suitable.

Explain the individual dog’s needs

This could include any medical treatment, medication, behavioural considerations or regular veterinary appointments that may be required. It is important that foster families understand exactly what will be involved before making a commitment.

Location check for veterinary care

For dogs requiring regular or ongoing veterinary treatment, we prefer foster homes to be reasonably close to APROP so that our established veterinary practices in Pego, Ondara or Javea can be used. This makes it easier for us to coordinate appointments, treatment and ongoing care, while ensuring continuity with vets who already know our dogs and work with APROP.

Home check

Carry out a home check to make sure the property and any outside areas are adequately secure and appropriate for the particular dog.

Complete a foster contract

This sets out the responsibilities of both APROP and the foster family. This also allows us to formally record where each APROP dog is living, as required by law.

Provide ongoing support

Once a dog enters foster care, our involvement doesn’t end. We remain available to help, advise and support the foster family whenever needed.

Complete an application form

Types of fostering

Short-term

This is a temporary fostering situation so cats or kittens can be in a home environment away from the shelter

If at all possible, all our kittens go to STF. The shelter is no place for very young kittens which need special care and socialisation.
For adult cats, it may be the opportunity to recover from an operation or illness.
If a cat needs regular medication for a short period, it can to be easier to administer away from the shelter.
If a cat is a bit nervous around humans, a period in foster with special attention and socialisation helps to prepare them for adoption.

A short period in a home can make a huge difference to a cat’s future health and adoption prospects.

Long-term & indefinite

This is an indefinite foster placement for cats which shouldn’t be kept in the shelter.

A cat diagnosed with Feline AIDS (FIV positive) would need a single occupancy pen at the shelter, which isn’t really practical. These cats aren’t “ill” as such but have suppressed immune systems so any infection can turn into a chronic illness. In a warm home, such infection is much less likely.
Other long-term illnesses make the shelter an unsuitable environment for cats and reduce the likelihood of a cat being adopted.
All cats deserve the opportunity to enjoy the comfort and security of a loving home rather than competing for food and attention at the shelter.
They will always be APROP cats and we will be responsible for their veterinary care as well as supporting their foster family.

What does APROP pay for?

APROP covers essential costs for every cat or kitten in foster care.

This includes veterinary treatment, medication and any special or prescription food that the cat may require. Where there are other essential costs relating to the cat’s health, care or wellbeing, these are also covered by APROP.

It is normal practice for our fosterers to provide regular food for our cats but if they are unable to do so, APROP will provide everything necessary.

Most importantly, our foster families are never left to manage alone. APROP provides advice, practical help and support throughout the entire time the cat is in foster care – whether that is for a few weeks or for the remainder of their life.

Foster process

Fill out our application form

Once we receive your enquiry, a member of the Foster Team will contact you for an initial conversation. We will talk about what fostering involves, your home environment and the type of cat or kitten that may be suitable for you.

Home check

We will make sure that your home situation is suitable for fostering and discuss any pets already living with you. Foster cats and kittens must be kept indoors and may initially need to be kept separate from your own pets. If you have cats, they should be healthy, vaccinated and receiving appropriate preventative treatments.

Meet the cat or kitten

You will have the opportunity to meet the cat or kitten, either at the shelter or in their current foster home.

Location check for veterinary care

Carry out a home check to make sure the property and any outside areas are adequately secure and appropriate. For veterinary treatment, we prefer foster homes to be reasonably close to one of our partner vets in Pego, Ondara or Javea. This makes it easier for us to coordinate appointments, treatment and ongoing care, while ensuring continuity with vets who already know our cats and work with APROP.

Complete a foster contract

You will be asked to complete and sign the appropriate fostering agreement and provide a form of official ID. The contract sets out the responsibilities of both APROP and the foster family. This also allows us to formally record where each APROP cat is living, as required by law.

Provide ongoing support

Throughout the foster period, the Foster Team will stay in touch with you and will be there to offer advice and support whenever needed.

Complete an application form

Success stories

Llima's story

Llima returned to the shelter when his mum died unexpectedly. For a middle-aged cat, the change in circumstances was not great for him, as he was very happy where he was. After about two weeks in foster care, we received a query from a single lady in an apartment in Denia and it was decided that Llima might be her perfect match.

"Llima is already making himself at home, so far so good. He's beautiful. Thank you all for my forever cat"

Sultan's story

Sultan was found wandering near Pego at just two years old. A gentle big dog with severe hip dysplasia who needed to be the only pet. He waited two long years for someone to truly see him. We never gave up…and eventually, the right family came along. Through indefinite fostering, Sultan now has the security and love of a real home, while remaining an APROP dog with his essential veterinary care covered. For Sultan, this is his forever.

Anoki's story

Anoki was originally a cat from the colony but needed to come into the shelter after we spotted her losing weight. A vet visit indicated it was easily treatable so she stayed inside whilst recovering. During this period, a lady visited and totally fell in love with her. Anoki now lives in luxury in an apartment with her own catio.

"We built her a catio as we thought she missed the fresh air after being a colony cat. She plays with her kitten sister all the time and loves being petted in her kitten bed"

Aston's story

Aston was abandoned when he needed his family the most. He arrived at APROP with uncontrolled leishmaniasis and injuries from being hit by a car. His breed, lack of education and poor health were all stacked against him, but we could see the wonderful dog underneath who simply needed love. After months of treatment, a volunteer took Aston home—and he is now doing incredibly well. We are delighted to announce that she will officially adopt him. Aston is finally home forever.