Foster Care Contract (New)

I do hereby enter into this contract with Green Dogs Unleashed, (GDU) of my own free will and agree to give foster care and shelter to rescued animals for a limited period of time. I further know and understand that GDU does not have complete prior knowledge of the rescued animals' health and temperament, and shall take all necessary precautions to protect myself and others who might come into contact with the animal(s).

I understand and agree that I shall not hold GDU responsible for any injury, illness or disease contracted by any dogs or other animals privately owned, or for property damage or harm to other dogs or persons who may come into contact with a foster animal(s) while it is in my care.

I agree that the animal(s) I am fostering shall not be removed from my address or disposed of without agreement and support of GDU and I will return the foster(s) immediately should some problem or circumstance arise where I am no longer willing or able to care for the foster animal in my home in the manner which GDU expects from its foster care providers.

I understand that GDU shall be responsible for the payment of all necessary and pre-approved veterinary care of the foster animal while the animal is in my care, but any veterinary visit must have prior approval from a GDU Executive Board Member, except in the case of a life or death emergency. I shall keep a record of the approval with the date. I further understand and agree to pay for all veterinary care, if necessary, until such reimbursement of funds is made by GDU. I shall maintain clear and accurate records of all expenditures and keep original receipts, and I realize that no reimbursement shall be made until all such records are received by GDU. In order to be reimbursed for expenses for the foster animal(s) I shall submit original receipts along with notation of the approval given by a Board Member for that expenditure, a clear explanation of what the expenditure was for and the total amount to be reimbursed.

I am fully aware that under no circumstances shall a GDU foster animal be bred or be allowed to breed, and I shall take all necessary precautions to prevent this from happening. I agree to keep all GDU foster animals in safe, sanitary and healthy conditions and to provide them with love and attention to help them overcome any fear or aggressiveness that causes unacceptable behavior.

I understand that under no circumstances does GDU pay for boarding at a foster home. This is a volunteer organization that does not pay foster care providers for their time or services in any way.

I shall, upon request, immediately release any GDU foster animal to a representative of the organization within 24 hours of the request by a GDU Executive Board member.

I understand that I have no authority to place or promise any foster animal in my care to any home without concurrence from an Executive Board Member. This includes returning the animal to its original owner.

In the event of abuse or injury to any of the foster animals or in the case of a breach of contract, the foster animal(s) must be returned immediately, with all animal related items the previous owner may have provided with their animal, and all paperwork included, to GDU at my sole expense. This contract shall be governed by the laws of the State of Virginia.

As an organization that practices positive reinforcement training methods we require our volunteers to utilize positive and fear-free based practices with their GDU foster animals. This means we utilize kindness, reward-based training, and treat our animals as we would wish to be treated by others. We expressly forbid the use of “Aversive” or punishment methods in training. In dog behavior terminology “aversive” is something unpleasant that is used to suppress or diminish an unwanted behavior. This may also at times be referred to as “Balanced Training”. An aversive can be an unpleasant sound, a physical correction, the pain caused by a shock collar or prong collar correction, or a harsh scolding or leash popping. We do not allow our animals to be hit, or tormented, or repeatedly screamed at in anger. Volunteers who are shown to use aversive corrections/methods will be counseled by our Director if warranted, and repeated occurrence will result in a foster family being relieved of their foster animals immediately.

I enter into this contract with GDU with the full knowledge that I will be responsible for the safety and well-being of the foster animal while it is in my care, and I shall abide by all agreements and understandings set forth in this Foster Care Application and Contract.

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