Become a Kindred Foster. Give a Dog the Gift of a Real Home and Help Write Their Story.
At Kindred and Coal, fostering isn't temporary caregiving. It's the most important chapter in a dog's journey.
What Makes a Kindred Foster Different
Most rescues ask fosters to provide a safe place to stay. We ask for something more and we believe you'll find it more meaningful because of it.
As a Kindred Foster, your home becomes the research environment. Because our dogs are assessed in the quiet reality of a household rather than a stressful shelter, you become a critical part of how we understand each dog.
You'll observe them in the moments that matter: morning routines, neighbourhood walks, quiet evenings, new visitors, being in public and share those observations in your assessments and with our behavioural team.
You're not just keeping a dog safe. You're helping us understand who they really are, so we can find them the family they truly deserve.
More Questions? Reach Out.
FAQ about fostering
What do i need to provide?
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As a Kindred Foster, your primary role is to provide a safe, loving household where a dog can decompress and simply be themselves. We ask for the daily essentials: nourishing food, regular exercise, and consistent companionship, but more importantly, we ask for your patience. Our model is built on letting a dog’s true personality unfold naturally without the pressure of a shelter environment. To help us bridge the gap between science and storytelling, we’ll ask you to share regular behavioural observations through our simple, guided check-in process, ensuring the dog’s voice is heard as we assess their clinical reality in a real home.
what does K&C provide?
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We believe our fosters are the foundation of our "rescue without walls," so we ensure you have every physical resource you need. Kindred and Coal covers all veterinary care and provides high-quality food, leashes, toys and a crate. While you provide the home and the heart, we provide the supplies and the clinical infrastructure to ensure the dog is fully supported during their stay with you.
but i’m not a behavioural expert!
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You don’t need a background in professional dog training or animal science to join us. We aren’t looking for experts; we are looking for witnesses. We need you to provide the quiet, household environment where a dog’s personality can safely unfold, your simple, honest observations of daily life are the most valuable data points we have.
what if i have questions or i’m unsure?
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You will never navigate this journey alone. Our team and our Creative Collective of storytellers walk alongside you from day one. Whether you are unsure about a specific observation or just need a sounding board for a new behaviour you’ve noticed, our community is here to provide the expertise and reassurance you deserve. We are a rescue without walls, but we are a community with a very strong foundation.
The Foster-to-Adopt Question
We know what you might be thinking. “But what if I fall in love and want to adopt?”
Yes, Kindred Fosters are welcome to apply to adopt their foster dog. If a connection develops and the compatibility is there, we would love nothing more. That said, the dog's consent process remains at the heart of every adoption, no matter the history. The science doesn't change. And honestly? That's what makes it meaningful.
Fostering in The Junction and Beyond
We are a West End rescue, rooted in the Junction. But our Kindred Foster network extends across Toronto. Whether you're around the corner from our neighbourhood or across the city, if you share our values, you're part of our community.
The Junction gave us our grit and our creative soul. Our Kindred Fosters carry both into the homes where our dogs begin to heal, explore, and become themselves.
Express Your Interest
Our first foster intake is tied to our founding proof-of-concept — one dog, one carefully selected Kindred Foster, and the beginning of everything we've been building.
If you're interested in becoming a Kindred Foster, now or when our full program launches in 2027, we'd love to hear from you.