People and animals
are better together.

Send Pawmoja a WhatsApp message on 0791 420 477 to request our Foster Interest Form or access the link from our website. Once you have submitted the form, a volunteer will follow up with you to discuss your home, experience, availability, and the types of foster placements that may suit you. We may also arrange an in-person or virtual home visit before confirming your approval as a foster caregiver.

Once approved, we will contact you when we have a potential placement that may be a good match. This may happen immediately or at a later date, depending on the needs of the animals in our care and the types of placements suitable for your home. You will always have the opportunity to learn more about the animal(s) and decide whether to accept the placement.

No. You do not need previous fostering experience to apply. While experience caring for dogs or cats is certainly helpful, some of our most dedicated and successful foster caregivers had little or no fostering experience when they started. What matters most is having a safe home, a willingness to learn and collaborate, and a genuine commitment to providing compassionate care.

If you do have fostering, rescue, veterinary training, or other relevant animal-care experience, especially if you are interested in supporting animals with medical, behavioral, or other specialized needs, please let us know. We would love to discuss how your experience could help with some of our more challenging cases.

At present, Pawmoja’s foster program is limited to Nairobi. As a small, volunteer-run organization, we are not currently able to coordinate and oversee foster placements elsewhere in Kenya. However, if you live outside Nairobi and are interested in fostering, please feel free to contact us. We may be able to connect you with an organization or independent rescuer working in your area. Please note that this would be an informal referral only: any fostering arrangement would be made directly between you and the relevant organization or individual and would not be managed or overseen by Pawmoja.

Yes. In fact, fostering can be an excellent option for people who would love the companionship of an animal while living in Kenya but know they cannot make the lifelong commitment that adoption requires. Adoption is permanent; fostering is temporary.

Unfortunately, animals are sometimes adopted or bought by people who already know they may be unable to take them when they leave Kenya. When no responsible long-term plan has been made, those animals are often abandoned or surrendered, adding further pressure to an already overstretched animal-welfare system. Fostering offers a responsible alternative: you can enjoy sharing your home with animals, and provide meaningful, temporary care without making a commitment you may be unable to keep.

We simply ask that you tell us your likely departure date and any travel plans from the outset. Because we cannot guarantee that an animal will be adopted by a particular date, we will work with you to identify a placement that fits your availability and ensure that the animal’s next step can be planned responsibly.

Pawmoja exists to create healthier, safer communities for both people and animals through community partnership, accessible veterinary care, humane population management, and responsible rehoming when needed. Foster care is an essential part of making that possible.

When an animal cannot safely remain where they are, foster care provides them with a temporary home while Pawmoja works towards the most appropriate long-term outcome for that individual animal.

For some animals, that means recovering in foster care before returning safely to the community they call home. For others, it means preparing for adoption into a permanent family. Every decision is made with the individual animal's welfare at the center.

We do not run a central shelter. Our ability to help animals is directly linked to the size of our foster network. Every new foster home increases our capacity to rescue animals in need, provide them with individual care, and help them take the next step in their journey. Quite simply, the more foster homes we have, the more animals we can help.

Yes, provided your landlord or property management allows animals in the home and you can provide written confirmation of this. If you are unsure about the property’s pet policy, please check before applying.

Absolutely. Cats and many dogs thrive in apartments. Apartment fostering does come with some additional considerations. Balconies, windows, and other elevated or open areas must be safe and secure, or the prospective foster caregiver must agree to secure them before welcoming a foster animal home. Dogs need an appropriate routine for toileting, exercise, and enrichment. For many animals, apartment fostering can be a real advantage. For example, regular walks and daily outings can help dogs become comfortable with new sights, sounds, people, and environments, while preparing them for the kind of routine they may have in an adoptive home.

Our goal is to match each animal with the environment in which they are most likely to feel safe and thrive. Apartment living is an excellent fit for some foster animals, just as a house with a secure garden may be more appropriate for others.

Yes. A private, securely fenced garden is important for some animals, but it is not required for every foster placement. However, foster dogs must not be allowed to roam freely in an unfenced or insecure outdoor area. If your garden is not securely enclosed, your foster dog will need to remain on a lead whenever outside.

Many dogs can live very happily without free access to a garden, provided they receive regular toilet breaks, appropriate walks, exercise, and enrichment. Cats should remain safely indoors or have access only to a fully enclosed outdoor area while in foster care, unless a different arrangement has been specifically agreed with Pawmoja.

Young, incompletely vaccinated puppies need a private, low-risk place for toileting and play, so they may not be suitable for every home without a secure private outdoor area. We will consider your home, routine, and surroundings when identifying an appropriate match.

It depends on the puppies' age, vaccination status, and the setup of your home. Very young puppies are not yet fully vaccinated and are highly vulnerable to diseases such as parvovirus. Because of this, they should not be taken into public areas where unvaccinated dogs may have been. In many apartment buildings, regular trips outside for toilet breaks would increase that risk.

For this reason, we don't usually place very young puppies in apartments unless there is a safe way to meet their toileting and exercise needs without exposing them to public areas. As puppies get older and are fully vaccinated, apartments can become an excellent foster environment. If you live in an apartment, don't let this put you off fostering. Many older puppies, as well as adolescent and adult dogs (and cats of all ages) thrive in apartment homes. We'll work with you to identify the animals that are the best fit for your home and lifestyle.

Yes. Many of our foster caregivers have dogs or cats of their own, and a compatible resident pet can sometimes help a foster animal settle and build confidence.

What matters most is whether the animals and their environment can be managed safely. Some foster animals can interact with resident pets, while others may need gradual introductions, supervised contact, or a separate area of the home. We will consider each animal’s temperament, health, vaccination status, and spay or neuter status when deciding what is appropriate.

Some animals genuinely need a foster home without other pets. In many other cases, however, the foster animal does not need access to the entire home; they may simply need a safe, secure space away from the resident animals. This could be a spare room or, for neonatal kittens, even a suitably prepared bathroom. We will discuss your pets and home setup with you and look for a placement that keeps everyone safe and comfortable.

Yes. Many animals can thrive in homes with children, and fostering can be a rewarding experience for the whole family. We will consider your children’s ages and experience with animals, your ability to supervise interactions, and individual animal’s temperaments and needs when identifying a suitable placement.

Safe, positive experiences with children can help a foster animal become comfortable around them and may widen the range of permanent homes for which they are suitable. However, poorly managed interactions can frighten an animal, set back their progress, and place both the animal and the child at risk.

A foster animal should never be treated as a plaything, brought into the home for the sole purpose of teaching a child responsibility, or used to test whether a child has allergies to dogs/cats. Children can learn valuable lessons through fostering, but responsibility for the animal always rests with the adult who signs the Foster Care Agreement. That adult must be genuinely committed to learning about safe animal handling, teaching everyone in the household, and actively supervising interactions. Children must not be allowed to ride, climb on, chase, corner, tease, hug, or restrain the animal, pull their ears or tail, take away food or toys, or disturb them while they are eating or sleeping. The animal must always have a quiet space where they can retreat without being followed.

Not always. The appropriate setup will depend on the animals’ age, health, vaccination status, temperament, and compatibility with other animals in your home.

Some foster animals can safely share your living space and do not need a separate room at all. Others may need a separate area temporarily while they settle or are gradually introduced to resident pets. Still others, including very young or incompletely vaccinated animals, or foster cats in a household with dogs who are not cat-friendly, for example, may need to remain separate for longer or throughout their placement. You do not necessarily need a large home or a substantial amount of extra space to foster. In fact, sometimes a spare bathroom or small room can provide all the space required!

Yes. While some animals, such as very young puppies or kittens and those with particular medical needs, require someone to be home for much of the day, many animals can fit comfortably into a typical working schedule. We will discuss your working hours, how long the animal would usually be left alone, and the care you can provide before and after work to help identify a suitable match.

Yes. Partners, relatives, housemates, and household staff can help with feeding, exercise, cleaning, supervision, transport, and other aspects of daily care, provided they are willing and able to do so safely. The adult who signs the Foster Care Agreement remains primarily responsible for the animal(s) and must ensure that everyone involved understands their routine, needs, boundaries, and any medical or safety instructions. If another person will regularly provide a significant part of the animals’ care or act as the primary caregiver in your absence, please tell Pawmoja in advance so that we can confirm the arrangement is appropriate. Children may assist with age-appropriate tasks, but they must not be given primary responsibility for a foster animal.

No two foster placements are exactly alike, and not every situation fits neatly into one category. Pawmoja sometimes uses terms such as long-term, emergency or short-term, vacation, and community recovery fostering to help us describe and plan placements, but these categories may overlap or change over time.

Most animals placed in foster care are on the pathway to adoption and need a home until the right permanent family is found. Wherever possible, we look for foster caregivers who can commit to caring for them until they are adopted. Other placements may involve providing temporary cover for another foster caregiver (e.g., vacation foster), offering an animal somewhere safe during an emergency or transition, or helping a community animal recover from injury, illness, or surgery before returning to their community.

These descriptions do not necessarily indicate the type or complexity of care an animal will need, and foster caregivers do not sign up to belong to only one category. For every potential placement, we discuss the particular animals, their needs, the likely timeframe/range, and what you can commit to so that you can decide whether to accept.

We will always discuss a potential placement with you before asking you to foster, and you are never obligated to accept an animal. Our goal is to find a match that works well for both you and the foster animal, taking into account your home, lifestyle, experience, resident animals, and preferences, as well as the animal’s individual needs.

However, fostering is different from choosing an animal to adopt. Placement decisions are guided primarily by where the need is greatest and which available foster home is best suited to meet that need. Some animals may urgently need somewhere safe to go, while others may have more placement options. We may therefore encourage you to consider an animal who would not necessarily be your first choice if you were adopting, but for whom your home could make an especially important difference.

A foster placement may involve one animal, a pair, a litter, or a mother with her puppies or kittens. The number will depend on the animals’ ages and needs, as well as your home, experience, and capacity. For adult dogs, adult cats, and many adolescent animals, fostering one animal at a time is often ideal. It allows them to receive individual attention, build confidence, and adjust to life in a home. In some cases, we specifically need a home without other animals so that a foster can recover, decompress, or receive one-on-one support. In others, we may look for a home with a friendly resident dog or cat.

For kittens, we generally ask caregivers to foster at least two unless there is already a suitable young, playful cat in the home. Young puppies are usually kept with their mother (if possible) and littermates, while older puppies may be fostered individually or with another puppy. Medical or behavioral needs and the circumstances of a particular rescue may require a different arrangement. We will always discuss the specific animal or animals with you before asking you to foster.

Young kittens generally do best with another kitten or a suitable young, playful resident cat. Through playing together, kittens learn important social and behavioral skills, including how to communicate, control the force of their biting and scratching, and respect other animals’ boundaries. They also provide one another with companionship, stimulation, and an appropriate outlet for their energy in a way that people cannot fully replicate.

Fostering two kittens is often easier than fostering one: they entertain, comfort, and learn from each other rather than relying entirely on their caregiver for play and attention. It also reflects Pawmoja’s adoption policy, under which kittens are adopted in pairs or into homes with a resident feline companion. Exceptions may be made based on a kitten’s age, health, behavior, or individual circumstances. We will always consider the needs of the particular kitten and the animals already living in your home.

Pawmoja ensures that all animals under our care receive age-appropriate vaccinations, deworming, and flea and tick treatment. An exception may be made when a veterinarian recommends delaying treatment because of illness, physical condition, or another medical concern.

Young animals may enter foster care before completing their vaccination series. Pawmoja will monitor the schedule and provide reminders, while foster caregivers are responsible for taking the animals to receive their vaccinations at one of our partner veterinary clinics. Pawmoja will cover the cost at our partner clinics. If a foster caregiver chooses to use another clinic, they will be responsible for the cost unless Pawmoja has agreed otherwise in advance.

Foster caregivers are also responsible for administering deworming and flea and tick prevention according to the agreed schedule. Pawmoja can provide the necessary products, although we greatly appreciate foster caregivers who are able to cover these routine costs, as doing so helps us direct more of our limited funds towards animals requiring veterinary treatment.

Animals who are old enough and medically fit will be spayed or neutered before entering foster care whenever possible. Young animals, however, may not yet be ready for sterilization. This is an important consideration when matching animals with a foster home. We will discuss your comfort and experience caring for an unsterilized animal, whether there are unsterilized animals of the opposite sex in or around your home, and how mating and pregnancy will be prevented.

Most Pawmoja foster placements are for animals who will remain in foster care until they are adopted into permanent homes. This might take a few weeks or several months, depending on the individual animal and how quickly we find the right adopter. Because our priority is finding a safe, suitable, and lasting home, we cannot rush an adoption to meet a particular deadline or guarantee how long the process will take.

Some placements have a more defined timeframe. These may include vacation cover for another foster caregiver, emergency placements, or short-term recovery care for community animals who will return to their communities once they have healed.

We will always discuss the type of placement and likely timeframe before you agree to foster. If you are available only for a particular period, please let us know. A time-limited placement may still be extremely valuable, provided we can plan the animal’s next step in advance.

Potentially, provided this is discussed and agreed from the beginning. A time- or age-limited placement can be extremely valuable, particularly for newborn animals, weaning puppies or kittens, temporary vacation cover for another foster, or an animal who urgently needs somewhere safe to go.

Moving animals between homes can be stressful, however, and each move depends on another suitable foster placement being available. While we hope our foster network will eventually be large enough to accommodate transitions more easily, we cannot currently guarantee that another home will be available by a particular date or when an animal reaches a particular age.

Please be open with us from the outset about what you can commit to. This does not necessarily prevent us from placing animals with you; it allows us to weigh the benefits and risks, decide whether the placement is appropriate, and begin planning the transition well in advance.

Foster caregivers take the lead on their foster animals’ day-to-day care. This includes providing a safe and stable home; appropriate food, exercise, enrichment, bathing/grooming, and affection; safe, positive, and age-appropriate exposure to people, animals, environments, sounds, handling, and everyday experiences, based on the individual animals’ needs; following agreed medical and care instructions; and helping the animals adjust to life in a home.

We ask foster caregivers to observe their animals closely and keep us informed about their health, behavior, progress, and any challenges. Please contact us promptly if something changes or you are concerned, rather than waiting for a problem to become more difficult to resolve.

Foster caregivers are responsible for taking, or arranging transport for, animals to routine veterinary appointments and ensuring that they receive prompt veterinary attention in an emergency. They must also administer approved deworming and flea and tick prevention according to the agreed schedule and ensure that each treatment is recorded in the animals’ vaccination booklets.

Foster caregivers must take reasonable precautions to protect the animals’ health, safety, and welfare. This includes preventing escape, injury, unsafe interactions, exposure to disease, and mating, as well as following any placement-specific guidance provided by Pawmoja.

For animals on the pathway to adoption, foster caregivers also play an important role in helping us find suitable permanent homes. We rely on you to help us understand your foster animals’ personalities and needs, share photos and videos, or let us know if you need help creating them, and actively promote the animals within your personal and professional networks. Foster caregivers must also be willing to bring the animal(s) to organized adoption events, as well as make their animals available to meet prospective adopters who have progressed through Pawmoja’s adoption process and help arrange those meetings, whether at the foster home or another agreed location. Pawmoja will manage applications, screen prospective adopters, and make all final placement decisions.

Before placement, Pawmoja will share all relevant information available to us about the animals’ backgrounds, health, behavior, and care needs. We will provide guidance to help them settle, answer questions, and work with you to address concerns that arise during the placement. Pawmoja will coordinate approved veterinary care, promote animals for adoption, screen prospective adopters, and make final adoption decisions. We may also ask for your input when assessing whether a potential home is a good match, as you will often know your foster animals best.

Pawmoja is a small, volunteer-run organization rather than a staffed shelter or foster service. We cannot provide daily in-home assistance or always respond immediately to routine questions. Foster caregivers should therefore be comfortable managing everyday care independently, following guidance, and contacting us early when support is needed.

Pawmoja is a small, volunteer-run organization that relies entirely on donations, so fostering is a partnership. We ask foster caregivers to provide an animal's day-to-day care, including: food, bedding, litter (for cats), toys, leash/harness (dogs), and other routine supplies. We also ask that foster caregivers are able to transport (or arrange transport for) their foster animal(s) when veterinary appointments, adoption meet-and-greets, or other essential visits are needed.

Pawmoja coordinates all veterinary care for foster animals and covers approved veterinary expenses provided the animal receives services at one of our partner clinics. Some foster caregivers choose to contribute towards veterinary costs, and we're incredibly grateful for that support. Before any placement, we'll discuss the animal's needs, your circumstances, and any practical considerations so that everyone is clear on what support will be provided and what will be expected of the foster caregiver and Pawmoja.

No. Fostering with Pawmoja is a voluntary role.

Contact Pawmoja as soon as you notice a change in your foster animal’s health, behavior, appetite, or energy, or if they are injured. Please share clear information, photos, or videos where helpful so that we can assess the situation and advise you on the next step.

For non-emergency concerns, Pawmoja will determine whether a veterinary appointment is needed and coordinate care through one of our partner clinics. Unless otherwise agreed with Pawmoja, foster caregivers are responsible for taking, or arranging transport for, the animal and following all prescribed treatment, medication, monitoring, and follow-up instructions.

In a genuine emergency, foster caregivers should not delay urgent care while waiting for a response. They should take the animal to the nearest appropriate veterinary clinic and notify Pawmoja immediately or while on the way. Foster caregivers should never give human medication, use medication prescribed for another animal, change a prescribed dose, or arrange non-emergency treatment without first consulting Pawmoja or the treating veterinarian.

Pawmoja will recommend an appropriate food and feeding routine based on the animals’ age, health, and nutritional needs. Foster caregivers must be willing and able to provide the recommended food, or a suitable alternative specifically approved by Pawmoja, and will ordinarily be responsible for covering the cost unless another arrangement has been agreed in advance.

Pawmoja takes nutrition seriously because we have seen the devastating consequences of feeding contaminated or nutritionally inappropriate food. Aflatoxin contamination is of particular concern and can cause severe illness and death. Many animals also come to us malnourished, unwell, or at a critical stage of growth and require a carefully selected diet to help them recover safely and receive the nutrients they need.

Some animals may require formula, supplements, a therapeutic diet, or a particular feeding schedule. Depending on the animals’ needs and the placement, Pawmoja may provide these or ask the foster caregiver to cover the cost. Appropriate treats are generally fine unless we advise otherwise, but please do not introduce supplements, vitamins, medications, herbs, or other significant additions or changes to the agreed diet without first discussing them with Pawmoja.

All food must be purchased from a reliable source, used within its expiry date, and stored safely. If you cannot obtain or afford the recommended food, please tell us before accepting a placement or making a substitution. We can then discuss whether an appropriate alternative or another arrangement is available.

It depends. The appropriate arrangement will depend on how often you travel, how long you will be away, the availability and capacity of others in your household, and the needs of the animal or animals in your care. For short trips, we generally ask you to arrange suitable care for your foster animal(s), ideally in your own home with a trusted household member, staff member, friend, or pet sitter who can maintain the animal’s usual routine. Please discuss the arrangement with Pawmoja in advance; foster animals should not be left with an unapproved caregiver or moved elsewhere without our knowledge and agreement.

Frequent or upcoming travel does not necessarily prevent you from becoming a foster caregiver with Pawmoja. Please be upfront about your availability so we can explore what may work best. Even if a longer-term placement is not suitable, you may still be able to provide valuable support when you are available, such as vacation cover for another foster, stepping in for a weekend or other short period, or supporting foster animals with transport to vet appointments, adoption events, or other activities.

Possibly, but only with Pawmoja’s approval in advance. Foster animals remain under Pawmoja’s care and must not be taken outside Nairobi without our knowledge and agreement.

We will consider the destination and length of the trip, the safety of the proposed accommodation and transport, the animals’ age, health, and vaccination status, access to veterinary care, and any upcoming appointments or adoption activities. If travel is approved, you will remain responsible for all care, safety, transport, and related costs and must provide Pawmoja with the location and dates of travel.

If traveling with the animals is not appropriate, you will need to arrange suitable care in Nairobi with a person or facility approved by Pawmoja. Foster animals must not be taken outside Kenya without Pawmoja’s explicit written permission and all required veterinary and travel documentation.

We understand that fostering doesn't always go exactly as planned. If you're experiencing challenges, please let us know as early as possible. Many issues can be resolved with advice, training, or reasonable adjustments. If a placement genuinely isn't working, we'll work with you to find the best solution for both you and the animal(s).

Because Pawmoja relies on a (currently small but growing) network of foster homes rather than a central shelter, however, finding an alternative placement can take time. We therefore ask that foster caregivers make every reasonable effort to continue caring for the animal(s) until another suitable arrangement can be made.

Foster caregivers must notify Pawmoja immediately if an animal escapes or cannot be located. They will be asked to provide the time and location at which the animal was last seen, the circumstances of the escape, any known direction of travel, and a recent, clear photograph.

Foster caregivers are expected to begin searching the immediate area promptly and participate actively in the search. This may include checking the home and surrounding compounds thoroughly, speaking with neighbors and security staff, reviewing available camera footage, and searching with familiar people, food, a leash, carrier, or other appropriate items.

Pawmoja will coordinate the wider response, including any public notices and contact with veterinary clinics, KSPCA, etc. Foster caregivers must not independently offer or advertise a reward without Pawmoja’s prior agreement. Rewards can create safety and security concerns, including false claims, scams, or incentives for animals to be taken or withheld.

Foster caregivers are not solely responsible for finding adopters, but they are expected to work actively with Pawmoja to help find a good match. Pawmoja will promote the animals, manage adoption applications, screen prospective adopters, and make all final placement decisions.

Because foster caregivers know their animals best, we rely on them to help us understand each animal’s personality, progress, needs, and ideal home. We also ask caregivers to promote their foster animals within their personal and professional networks and think proactively about people who might be a good fit.

Anyone interested in adopting must apply directly through Pawmoja and complete our adoption process. Foster caregivers must not promise an animal to anyone, screen applicants or approve an application independently, or arrange an adoption or handover without Pawmoja’s agreement.

Yes, in most cases. Foster caregivers are expected to make their animals available to meet prospective adopters who have progressed through Pawmoja’s adoption process and to help arrange a suitable time and location. Meetings may take place in the foster home, at an adoption event, or at another agreed location.

Your observations can help us understand how the animal responds to the prospective adopter and whether the home may be a good fit. However, participating in a meeting does not mean that the foster caregiver, or the applicant, makes the final decision. Pawmoja will consider all available information, follow up as needed, and determine whether the adoption should proceed.

Once your foster animal is adopted, you decide what comes next. Some foster caregivers are excited to welcome another animal or animals straight away, while others prefer to take a break.

We are always delighted when foster caregivers choose to foster again. Every time a foster home becomes available, Pawmoja can offer safety and care to another animal who might otherwise have nowhere to go. Continuing from one placement to the next is one of the most valuable ways a foster caregiver can help us reach more animals over time.

However, signing up to foster does not mean committing to one placement after another indefinitely. Once your current placement has ended, you can choose to foster again straight away, take a break, or let us know that you are no longer available. We will always discuss a new placement with you before you decide whether to accept it.

Sometimes! Fostering and adoption are different pathways, and we ask people who already know they want a permanent pet to apply to adopt rather than using fostering as a trial period. In some situations, Pawmoja can arrange a formal trial adoption for prospective adopters specifically to help determine whether an animal and household are the right long-term match.

Each time a foster animal is adopted, and their foster caregiver agrees to foster again, Pawmoja can offer safety and care to another animal who might otherwise have nowhere to go. We therefore hope that most foster placements remain temporary, and that foster caregivers will go on to help more animals.

That said, we know that foster caregivers sometimes form an unexpected bond with an animal and realize they would like to offer them a permanent home. If that happens, please tell us as soon as possible. We will be happy to discuss it with you and consider your home as a potential permanent placement. Your experience caring for the animal and your understanding of their needs will, of course, be important considerations.

We cannot guarantee adoption automatically, particularly if an adoption has already been agreed or there are specific reasons another home may better meet the animal’s needs. This is why it is important to speak to us as soon as your intentions change, before we continue promoting the animal or progress too far with another applicant. But every so often, a foster animal finds their forever home exactly where they are.