Foster a Dog
Southern California shelters are full. You provide the sofa and the company, we cover the food, the vet bills, and the supplies. Fostering is the single most useful thing most people can do for a dog who has run out of time.
Why it matters
One Foster Home Saves Two Dogs
Big Marv could not stand or walk on his own, and he still changed how half a million people think about what a small, broken-looking dog is capable of. Fostering is how you carry that forward. Every dog in a foster home frees up the space, the funding, and the hours we need to pull the next one out of a Southern California shelter. The dog you take in gets to decompress somewhere quiet. The dog behind them gets a chance that did not exist the day before.
A kennel tells us almost nothing about a dog. A living room tells us everything: whether they are good with children, whether they settle at night, whether they steal socks off the floor. That is what lets us match them with the right family the first time, instead of returning them and starting the whole thing over.
You do not need experience, a large house, or a garden. You need a door that closes and a bit of patience. We do the rest.
How Fostering Works
Four steps, and we are with you at every one of them.
1
Apply
Fill in the form below. It takes a few minutes and tells us about your home, your routine, and any pets you already have.
2
We Match
We suggest a dog who suits your space and schedule. A first-time foster never gets handed the hardest case.
3
We Kit You Out
Crate, bedding, bowls, and a vet plan arrive with the dog.
4
They Go Home
We handle the adoption process. You get a say in who they go to, and photos from their new family afterwards.
What We Cover
Fostering should never cost you money. We provide:
- Crate, bedding, bowls, leads, and toys
- Every veterinary cost, including emergencies
- Flea, worm, and vaccination treatments
- Training advice and behavioural support
- A direct line to us, any day of the week
What You Give
Less than most people expect:
- A safe, indoor space, however small
- Food, water, and daily company
- Patience while they settle, usually a week or two
- Transport to vet visits where you can
- Honest updates on how they are doing
You choose the length of stay, from two weeks to a few months, and you can say no to any dog we suggest.
Become Part of Big Marv’s Legacy
Four short steps, about five minutes. There are no wrong answers, and applying does not commit you to taking a dog. We ask thorough questions because these dogs have already been let down once, and we do not intend to let it happen twice.
Not able to foster right now?
Sponsoring a dog’s food and vet care does the same work from a distance, and it keeps us pulling dogs out of shelters across Los Angeles, Orange County, and San Bernardino.