Foster Care Program

Thank you for your interest in the Foster Care Program. Together our foster parents make an enormous contribution to Greenhill by caring for 600-800 animals each year. Without these dedicated volunteers Greenhill could not provide loving homes to nearly as many deserving animals as we do each year.

Contact Ashlee Dixon, Foster Care Manager, with questions about this rewarding opportunity. Ashlee can be reached at 541-689-1503 x116 and via email.

Click here to see our monthly Foster Spotlight.

Steps to Becoming a Foster Parent
1. Attend an orientation session (registration is required). Click here to RSVP, please leave your name and phone number.
2. Complete a Foster Care program application.
3. Ask your veterinarian about the risks associated with fostering and make sure all of your pets’ vaccinations are up to date.
4. Meet with Ashlee Dixon to discuss whether or not the program is right for you and have all of your questions answered.



You must be at least 21 years of age to become a foster parent. Children are encouraged to participate fully in this rewarding experience with their parents. If you are under 21 please ask a parent or guardian to attend the orientation session with you.

Success Stories

Foster Kittens

Like these beautiful Siamese, many kittens only need three weeks in a loving foster home before they are ready for the adoption floor. Sometimes however, we have a mama cat and her babies that need a place to call home until the kittens are weaned (usually at 5 weeks) and then for several weeks after until they are old enough for their vaccinations.

By fostering a litter of kittens, volunteers enable Greenhill to administer their first and second FVRCPC vaccinations before placing them up for adoption. During this time they also receive wormer and flea control. 

By working together to provide good health care, Greenhill staff and volunteers are able to offer the public strong, healthy pets. Another enormous benefit of the program is that fostered animals are well socialized, which helps them quickly find permanent homes when they return to the shelter.

Foster Puppies

While we don't receive nearly as many puppies as we do kittens each year, there is more work involved in their care and they require more foster families to get the job done. Julie Ghormley volunteered to care for Lucy, a Gordon Setter, and her EIGHT puppies (Gordon Setter/Chocolate Lab mixes) until they were weaned.  

Fortunately for Lucy (and Julie), these puppies were very interested in kibble and were fully weaned at five weeks of age.

At this point three more foster families (Davis, Quigley, and Pletcher) volunteered to help care for a couple of puppies and one additional family (Belachaikovsky) got involved to care for Lucy while her milk dried up and she could be spayed.

Full Story