FAQ

Q: What does the rescue provide for foster parents?

We highly encourage it! Sometimes fostering opens the door to a new forever chapter, and we celebrate that right alongside you. At The Florida Cat & Dog Project, there are no “foster fails", only lifesaving wins.

If you decide you’d like to adopt your foster pet, just reach out to us by going to our Contact Us page or by calling 772.710.7999 as soon as you know. We’ll guide you through the process and make it official so your foster can stay right where they belong, home with you.

Fostering saves lives, and adoption turns that lifesaving journey into forever love.

Q: Can I adopt my foster?

If you decide you’d like to adopt your foster pet, just reach out to our Volunteer & Animal Resource

Coordinator as soon as you know. We’ll guide you through the process and make it official so your foster can stay right where they belong, home with you.

Fostering saves lives, and adoption turns that lifesaving journey into forever love.

Q: What happens if I need to go out of town during my foster period?

the-cat-and-dog-project-florida_edited.j

Your foster pet must remain in your care during the foster period, they cannot be placed in a boarding facility, left with friends or family, or taken along on vacation.

If you need to go out of town, even unexpectedly, please contact us right away. We’ll work with you to arrange safe, temporary placement for your foster. In most cases, this means your foster will stay at the rescue, though in some situations we may approve care through a trusted sitter or rescue partner.

Life happens, and that’s okay, our team is here to support you and ensure your foster pet stays safe and cared for until you return.

Q: What happens if I take a foster pet, but then can no longer foster?

We are always here to help you! Whether you’re navigating a transition, adjusting to a new life circumstance, or simply need a break, we’ll provide advice and encouragement to guide you through the fostering process.

If you ever find that you can no longer foster, please let us know at least one week in advance. Because we are a foster-based rescue, this time allows us to immediately begin finding a safe, loving placement for your foster animal.

Remember, you’re not alone, fostering is a team effort, and we’re here to support you every step of the way

Q: How do you "Let Go" of your foster animals?

We know, saying goodbye to your first foster is the hardest part. But we promise, it does get easier. And every time you open your home, you’re giving another animal the chance they deserve at a safe, loving future.

All of our foster volunteers have been through the experience of “letting go,” and we’re here to prepare and support you before, during, and after the transition. Remember, the love and care you provide doesn’t end when your foster finds their forever family, it lives on through the bond you helped create.

We love receiving updates from our foster and adoptive families! To keep up with some of the amazing animals in our program, we invite you to join our Facebook group and share in their journeys.

Q: If I buy something for my foster will I be reimbursed?

All of the essentials, supplies, food, and veterinary care, are provided for your foster pet through our program. Because of this, we cannot reimburse foster volunteers for items they personally purchase. That said, if you feel your foster animal needs something extra, please reach out to your Foster Support Team. They’ll work with you to make sure your foster has everything necessary.

For all medical needs, supplies, or medications, you must contact our Medical Team directly. Please do not take your foster pet to any veterinarian without prior approval.

If you do decide to purchase something special for your foster, those expenses can be written off on your taxes. To receive a tax receipt, simply complete the Foster Supplies Tax Receipt Form, which can be found [here].

Your generosity makes a real difference, and whether it’s through time, care, or an occasional gift, your impact changes lives.

Q: What kinds of behavior challenges might I expect?

While we work hard to prevent bringing in animals with known aggressive behaviors, unexpected challenges can sometimes arise.

Common issues may include:

Separation anxiety (crying or barking when left alone)
Marking with urine
Chewing on furniture or belongings
House training accidents
Excessive barking
Animal-to-animal aggression

The good news is that these behaviors are manageable and temporary with patience and consistency. Our experienced Foster Support Team is always available to answer your questions and share proven strategies to help you and your foster through these challenges. With time, structure, and love, most animals adjust beautifully and become wonderful companions for their forever families.

Q: Who pays the medical expenses of the foster animal?

All approved medical expenses for foster animals are fully covered by our rescue. You’ll never have to worry about the cost of care, our priority is making sure each animal receives the treatment they need.

Whenever possible, foster animals are seen at our trusted partner veterinary clinics, where compassionate professionals are already familiar with the needs of rescue animals. In the event of an emergency, we also have arrangements with local veterinarians to ensure your foster can be treated quickly and safely.

If your foster shows signs of illness or injury, please contact us immediately at 772.710.7999. We will guide you on next steps, provide approval for care, and coordinate with the appropriate clinic. By following this process, we can ensure continuity of care, keep accurate medical records, and give your foster the best possible chance at recovery.

Your role as a foster is vital, by partnering with us, you’re not only providing love and stability but also helping ensure every animal has access to quality veterinary care when they need it most.

the-florida-cat-and-dog-project-rescue-m

Our Dogs: From Forgotten to Forever

Many of the dogs we rescue come from heartbreaking circumstances in Fort Pierce, Florida. One of them is Mary, a small, wiry dog who was barely surviving among a colony of community cats. When we first met her, she was so filthy and covered in fleas that her fur moved on its own. She had no consistent food, no shelter, and no one to care for her, but she clung to life. The only thing keeping her alive was a weekly food drop meant for the cats. We brought Mary home, bathed her, treated her for parasites, and showed her, for the first time, what it meant to be safe. Today, she’s a happy, quirky girl who still prefers curling up next to a cat rather than a fellow dog.

Another survivor is our Catahoula puppy, found on a rural farm where she had been rejected by her mother. At just a few weeks old, she was cold, frail, and fading fast, curled under a bush as the other puppies nursed without her. Had we not intervened when we did, she wouldn’t have made it through the night. But under our care, she grew strong, vibrant, and full of spirit. Her bright eyes and speckled coat now reflect the playful dog she was always meant to be. Her story reminds us that rescue often means stepping in when the world has turned its back.

Our Cats: Guardians of the Forgotten

Our work with community cats is ongoing and deeply personal. In recent months, we took in a young mother cat and her litter of kittens, fragile and hungry, born in an abandoned structure where broken glass littered the floor. After we brought them home, this brave mama did something extraordinary. She accepted three additional orphaned kittens as her own, grooming them, nursing them, and wrapping her body around them in shared warmth. In that moment, she became a symbol of everything The Cat and Dog Project stands for: compassion, resilience, and the belief that family can be chosen, and saved.

We’ve also trapped and housed pregnant feral cats so they could give birth in peace. One of them, a dwarf we named Lizzy, gave birth in a warm crate lined with fleece blankets instead of the dumpster she had been scrounging around. Watching her slowly learn to trust us as she nursed her babies was nothing short of sacred. These kittens, now adopted into loving homes, never knew the dangers their mother escaped, but we do. And we work every day to change the future for others like them.

From warehouse lots to back alleys, the cats of Fort Pierce live under constant threat, from traffic, disease, weather, and human cruelty. But with each TNR effort, foster placement, and emergency rescue, we chip away at the suffering, and create space for hope to take root.

the-florida-cat-dog-project-rescue-sunsh

Why Your Support Matters

Every story we’ve shared, every purr, every tail wag, every heartbeat, exists today because someone cared. Our work is fueled by love, but sustained by generosity. Donations go directly toward food, medical care, vaccinations, spay/neuter services, and safe housing. We don’t believe in fancy offices or overhead costs. We believe in muddy paws on clean blankets, in second chances, and in the power of people like you.

Whether you're here to adopt, volunteer, donate, or just learn more, we’re grateful you’ve found us.

Together, we can rewrite the future for the cats and dogs who need it most.

supplies we need