Pet Introductions

LifeLine recommends keeping your foster pet separated from resident pets for at least 14 days. This helps your foster decompress, adjust to the new environment, and lowers the risk of spreading any illness, since we can’t always guarantee a shelter pet’s health when they leave the shelter. At Fulton County Animal Services and the Community Animal Center, meet and greets between foster dogs and resident dogs can be scheduled before bringing a foster home. At this time, DeKalb County Animal Services is not able to offer dog-to-dog meet and greets.

During the separation period, it’s best to avoid any direct contact like sniffing, licking, or sharing spaces, blankets, or clothing that may carry germs between pets. However, you can still allow them to see, hear, and safely smell each other from a distance to start getting familiar before any full introductions happen.

Even when pets are integrated, we request fosters are fed separately from resident animals to prevent any insecurity around food.  Feeding foster dogs in crates and cats in their "safe spot" can help prevent unnecessary and unsafe scuffles between pets!

Below are some helpful resources you can use to guide introductions, whether you’re welcoming your first foster pet, gathering tips to share with your foster’s future adopter, or an experienced foster looking to educate yourself further!