Foster Home Guidelines
& Requirements
This is to help each Foster Home family understand their responsibilities that opening their homes to a Berner in need of a new home may entail.
Mission Statement
The mission of the HMBMDR Rescue/Re-home program is to take in purebred Bernese Mountain Dogs that are in shelters, or whose owners no longer want or cannot maintain them, or that have become lost and abandoned, and to place them in permanent pet homes in order to help provide a safe harbor for Bernese Mountain Dogs that might otherwise be destroyed or abandoned.
To facilitate the rescue of Bernese Mountain Dogs by the Heart of Michigan Bernese Mountain Dog Rescue, Inc. (herein “the Rescue”), it is necessary to obtain the services of Foster Care Givers who will feed and house the dog, evaluate its health and temperament, and provide necessary care for the dog. To provide for such foster care, the Club and
___________________ (herein “Foster Care Giver”) agree as follows:
Required provisions for a Foster Home, the undersigned agrees to the following;
1. The foster home shall have a completely fenced area of a minimum of 48” (forty-eight inches) high.
2. no children in the home under the age of 10 (ten)
3. Must own a home or have written permission from their landlord to agreement to allowing foster dogs.
4. Home Owners Liability insurance with a minimum of $500,000.00 in coverage
5. To have experience in basic obedience training and the ability deal with a variety of temperament issues, (examples; aggression, fearful, shyness, submissive issues, house breaking, dog/dog interaction, medical conditions, physical limitations, lack of socialization……….)
6. provide in-door shelter for the dog(s)
7. notify the Chairperson of the Rescue/Re-home Committee or the President before undertaking the provision of foster care to a Bernese Mountain Dog;
8. if a transfer agreement has not been obtained from the owner of the dog by the Rescue or the Rescue/re-home Committee, obtain the signature of the owner of the dog (if known or discoverable) on an agreement transferring ownership of the dog to the Rescue, and submit the signed agreement to the Chairperson of the Rescue/Re-home Committee;
9. obtain a complete medical history of the dog;
10. take the dog to a veterinarian for a complete physical examination as soon as possible unless medical records disclose that the dog has been examined by a veterinarian within the last 90 days;
11. provide food, water, medical care, socialization, training, and exercise appropriate to the age and condition of the dog;
12. document all expenses relating to the dog;
13. make periodic notes regarding the dog’s temperament, behavior, and personality traits;
14. retain all documents regarding the dog and provide copies of such documents to the Rescue/Re-home;
15. abide by the instructions of the Rescue/Re-home Committee with respect to the disposition of the dog; and,
16. Assume all responsibility for the dog and its actions and indemnify and hold the Rescue harmless from and against any liability arising out of or relating to the dog, except as provided in paragraph 2 below.
The Rescue shall:
use its best efforts to place the dog in a permanent adoptive home; and
Reimburse the Foster Care Giver for the documented expenses incurred in connection with providing medical care to the dog so long as Foster Care Giver complies with the obligations in paragraph 1 above.”
The medical care for the Foster Dog will be paid by the HMBMDR Inc. If the Foster Care Giver chooses to keep the Foster Dog as their own, the costs of Foster Care will be deducted from the $200.00 adoption placement fees, a $75.00 food reimbursement may be file by the foster home with the approval of the Rescue/Re-home President’s authorization.
The Foster Care Giver(s) understand that:
the fostering party and his/her heirs, successors, and assigns releases and shall hold the Heart of Michigan Bernese Mtn. Dog Rescue Inc., it’s agents, members, successors and assigns harmless from any loss, liability, or expense from any claim which may be made by any person, entity, or organization including the undersigned, as a result of any damages which may allegedly be caused by he foster dog(s) or by reason of any defects whatsoever in such Animal, whether now or existing or occurring in the future, and whether now known to exist or unknown.
Contact Us for a Foster Home Application
We took in a very shy intact female named Trina on Tuesday December 30th. So far I can tell she is a woman’s dog and is afraid of men. She responds great to Linda but hides from me. She even came out to meet Lynda Starkel and Martha yesterday when adopting Ripley, but will not make any advance towards me. She hides under the dining room table and watches whenever I am at home. She was initially looking to jump the fence when she first came so we had to resort to a long-line and just walk her. She has stopped looking to jump the fence and we have let go of the long line so she can run. But she is never left out unattended. She has started enjoying chasing and being chased by our gang and Gracie and Angel (who we are babysitting for until Tuesday) She tears around the yard having a blast. I think that she is having fun has reduced the need to run away in her mind. She is getting spayed tomorrow which will slow her down and if the girls leave she should be able to relax more, so we will see how thing work over the next week or so. She is very sweet withLinda and wants attention from her. I don’t know what Trina’s history is with men. Her owner said she got along fine with her husband and son. I think someone was heavy handed during her life because she ducks from Linda when she moves over her head. We may have not gotten the full story about her past, especially because her early history at the Amish farm is unknown.
