Resource & Requirements Guide for TAR Fosters

 This page was last updated 3/24/23

Dear potential or current TAR Foster,  

Trenton Animals Rock is so grateful that you are considering fostering with us. We have created this guide to tell you what you can expect and to try to make this experience as rewarding the joyful as it can be. Please read through this page thoroughly to be sure that your expectations align with ours. By the way - it's totally ok if they don't! That just means we probably aren't the right fit for each other, and we would be happy to try to refer you to another rescue program.

FIRST UP - IMPORTANT NOTES & REMINDERS: 

1. We do not operate a shelter or boarding facility and cannot "take the foster back" once it is in your care. Adoption can take several months, so please be prepared for this before accepting a foster into your home.  We make every effort to promote all of our fosters on PetFinder, social media and at events. Once we have an application, you will be contacted to arrange a meet with the potential adopter and a member of our team.  

2. Save this page. Before emailing us, please refer back to this page first as it includes a lot of useful information. It is updated often, and you can see the last updated date at the bottom of the page.

3. If you already have a TAR foster, please click here to complete the contract ASAP.

4. DO NOT CHANGE THE PET'S NAME! It confuses the team and messes up our records. You can change the pet's name after you adopt, if you choose to. 

5. IF YOU THINK YOU MAY BE ADOPTING YOUR FOSTER: Please don't ask our rescue to keep paying for food, medical, grooming, boarding or any other service. If this is going to be your pet, please don't make the rescue spend money that could be spent on animals that have no one else to turn to. It's just wrong and means that we may not be able to help another animal who needs us.

6. Be kind & patient. Please understand that we have rescued over 1000 animals as of March 2023 and many of those adopters still reach out to us for help. We also assist owners with their pets. This means that while you may have 1, 2 or 3 of our TAR dogs or cats in your care, we have hundreds that are coming to us for help. We try our best to help everyone as equally as possible. This takes a lot of time and mental and physical energy, so again, please remember to be kind and patient with us. 

TAR is comprised of a small, mostly-volunteer team (trainers are paid) and we do our best to reply to all messages, texts and calls as soon as possible. We currently have 4 board members: Danielle, Jen, Mindi and Erica. The post-placement team consists of Danielle, Amanda & Erica, as of February 2023. We also have a larger team of dedicated volunteers who help with events, dog and cat meets, transports and application screening. 

We all have full-time jobs, families and lives outside of this work, just like you. We are also just people who love animals, and while we have rescue experience and a lot of resources and connections, we do not have all the answers to all the questions, especially not immediately. 

Remember, please be kind and patient with us when reaching out and note that we may be need up to 48-72 hours to respond to you.

All inquiries, updates and questions should be sent via email to: info@tarnj.org

Services should be requested by emailing us at info@tarnj.org. Please don't text us to tell us to check our email. It is checked once a day, at least.

With the exception of Erica, who is ok with texts, please do not text our TAR board member's personal cell phones unless we have invited you to do so or initiated a conversation. If we then ask you to stop, please don't be mean to us. Texts should only be used for pet updates, photos and basic questions, not to request services. 

We no longer operate a monitored phone line.

 Examples of medical emergencies include: 

• Major injury such as a broken bone or deep wound requiring stitches
• Illness such as not eating/drinking or vomiting and diarrhea for more than 24 hours or a seizure or inability to walk/stand

Email us at info@tarnj.org and then go directly to BluePearl Levittown, unless instructed otherwise, and tell them you are a Trenton Animals Rock foster. If you choose to go elsewhere, we cannot guarantee that we will pay for care. 

This includes basic training, minor illnesses and injuries and matters that don't require immediate professional help.

Send an email to info@tarnj.org. Our team does our best to respond Sun - Sat between 9am - 6pm and we ask that you give us at least 24-48 hours to respond. On the weekends, we do our best to respond faster but sometimes we have family obligations that may make this more difficult.

For training, Erica is the main point of contact, and she must be allowed inside your home. You will have her cell phone number once you have a placement, and you are welcome to text her.

Please email info@tarnj.org with a description of the issue and then call your local Animal Control and tell them you are a foster with Trenton Animals Rock and give them our contact information:  info@tarnj.org. 

We cannot come and pick up the animal immediately. We will respond to you and work out a plan to safely handle the situation.

Please give us at least 30 days' notice if you need us to locate a pet sitter or boarding facility.

If you have one that you prefer, we will pay up to $30 per day, per dog, through Venmo or PayPal directly to your pet sitter or boarding facility. Your sitter must sign a waiver of liability.

Please notify us immediately and remember that foster homes are very hard to come by these days. We ask that you give us AT LEAST 30 days to find a replacement home and this is not a guarantee.

• Be available to transport your dog/cat to meetings with potential adopters. We will aim to provide at least 72 hours' notice and schedule meets at a place comfortable for both you and the potential adopter.
• Attend all our adoption events.
• Be willing to screen potential adopters. This involves allowing our team to email you pre-screened adopters who may want to learn more about your foster
• Bring your foster to public places and events with an “Adopt Me” bandana and flyers and/or business cards. (If you need these items, please email us at info@tarnj.org)
• Post pictures and compelling bios on your social media platforms and direct people to apply at tarnj.org/adopt or to email us at info@tarnj.org
• Post your dog/cat on other social media pages that focus on finding homes for dogs
• Share updates with our team via email that include new information and photos about the dog/cat and ask that their PetFinder profile be updated with the information

UPDATED PROCESS: February 13, 2023

TAR currently uses The Bridge Clinic in Bensalem, PA for most of our spays and neuters. Please note that they are a high-volume, nonprofit clinic and in order to keep their costs low, they do need to provide fast and efficient service. Please be kind to their team as they are working hard to treat so many animals in a short period of time.

This is how we will schedule your foster's procedure, if it is needed:
1. A TAR Rep will contact Bridge Clinic via email with all of your info, the pet's info and the services needed.
2. The Bridge Clinic will then call you to schedule it and they will email us with the date as well so we can update our system.
3. Contact us, and The Bridge Clinic, if you have to reschedule. You must give AT LEAST 48 HOURS NOTICE.

IF YOU CANCEL WITHIN 48 HOURS OR DO NOT SHOW UP, WE WILL BE CHARGED $75 which we will charge back to you. Bridge will also no longer allow you to be seen at their clinic. If you cannot make your appointment, you must give us AT LEAST 48 hours' notice. 

SPAY/NEUTER BEFORE APPOINTMENT INSTRUCTIONS:

NO FOOD OR WATER AFTER 10PM THE NIGHT BEFORE YOUR APPOINTMENT.

Drop-off is between 8-9am; Pick-up between 3-4pm

The address is Cherokee Drive, Bensalem, PA. Make sure their GPS is sending you to Bensalem. (Google Maps or Waze is best). 

When you arrive at Cherokee Drive, please follow the driveway all the way down to the back of the property; the clinic is on the right-hand side in a metal building.​Please pull into a marked spot in front of the clinic, remain in your car, and call (215) 639-3333 to notify Bridge staff of your arrival. They will then bring your pet inside the clinic.
Dogs may come in a carrier (if under 25 lbs.) or must have a secure collar and leash for transport inside.

If you have any questions, please contact Bridge at (215) 639-3333.

REMEMBER: IF YOU CANCEL WITHIN 48 HOURS OR DO NOT SHOW UP, WE WILL BE CHARGED $75 which we will charge back to you. Bridge will also no longer allow you to be seen at their clinic. If you cannot make your appointment, you must give us AT LEAST 48 hours' notice.