Do you love animals? Are you patient and caring? Would you like to train or socialize a little Chihuahua and find him or her a new home?

If you think you have what it takes to become a foster care provider, I would like to talk with you. We are currently setting up a foster care network to help rescue Chihuahuas and find them permanent home.

Thank you for your interest in becoming a foster care partner volunteer. Our goal is to make the Chihuahua adoption process less cumbersome and more affordable. By choosing to become a foster volunteer you are helping save dogs and at the same time taking some of the pressure off over crowded shelters and local animal control vacillates.

Foster volunteers provide temporary care of Chihuahua dogs and puppies in their own regional area homes. Some animals need as little as a few days of care, while others may need care and training for weeks or even several months.

By offering your time, energy, resources and loving home to a Chihuahua in need, you prepare the animal for adoption into a permanent home as well as help prevent overcrowding in shelters. We are always looking for more foster homes, especially throughout the busy spring and summer seasons.

• Abandoned Chihuahuas (most have behavioral problems and need socializing)
• Puppies who are too young for adoption.
• Dogs who are nursing a litter of puppies. Although shelters can be a safe environment, it is not the best for raising Chihuahua babies.
• Dogs who are being treated for injuries or illnesses.
• Illness or death of the Chihuahua's owner
• People who no longer want the responsibility of caring for their dog any more.

Foster care partners provide: their time, pet supplies, food, training, socializing and a place in their home with lots of love.

• When Happy Trail Chihuahuas receives notice of a Chihuahua that the owner wants relocated to a new home or animal control will euthanize, we contact foster volunteers. If a foster volunteer is not available to foster at that time, we simply try another person. There will be plenty of other opportunities to foster, so there is no pressure to take an animal if your circumstances does not allow it.
• In some cases foster volunteers go to the owner's home to receive the animal, other times the dog will be delivered to you, At that time, volunteers gather information about the animal's condition and needs.
• A foster volunteer may need to bring the animal to a veterinarian to be examined, receive vaccinations or other treatments.
• Happy Trail Chihuahuas assists foster volunteers in locating new permanent homes by several means of advertising. Foster volunteers also actively seek new homes.

Want to know more about volunteering to foster Chihuahuas? Check out these frequently asked questions.

If you are interested in volunteering with Happy Trail Chihuahuas, please follow these steps:

1. Be of age. The primary caregiver of the foster animal must be at least 18 years old. However, young people can help at home and potentially receive school credit.
2. Have reliable transportation. Foster volunteers must be able to get to pick-up a dog if necessary and be able to transport to a local vet. Please consider the potential commute before applying to volunteer.
3. Submit an online application. Tell us a bit about yourself. After you submit your application a volunteer manager will be in touch to let you know more about the program.
4. Read training information. The foster care coordinator will work with you to acquire required training information.