If you love dogs but aren’t sure about a long-term commitment to being an owner, there’s an option that can let you explore while saving pooches’ lives.
Most of the dog rescue shelters in Middle Tennessee are looking for humans for temporary placements, from several days to several weeks. Shelters use foster care to free up spots during busy seasons and to provide ongoing medical care for dogs who may need it.
Shelters usually provide food, bowls, doggy beds, leashes, any necessary medicine and crates to foster families.
Those who want to provide foster care usually have to fill out an online application form. Some shelters require an orientation program or other training.
Gumdrop, cared for by Sarah and Kyle Crossland of East Nashville, keeps herself busy with a spike ball during an interview with The Tennessean at the Wags & Walks adoption center in Hermitage, Tenn., Friday, Oct. 3, 2025.
Here is a list of some of the facilities in Middle Tennessee that are looking for people to provide foster care for dogs.
Nashville Humane Association
213 Oceola Ave., Nashville, 615-352-1010
Nashville Humane requires fosters to be 18 years of age or older and to live within 30 minutes of the facility. An application must be completed.
More information: NashvilleHumane.org
Questions? Email foster@nashvillehumane.org.
Wags & Walks
100 Bonnabrook Dr., Hermitage, 615-880-6530
Fosters must be 21 years of age or older, and Wags & Walks requires an application and orientation for approved fosters.
More information: wagsandwalks.org
Leann Beckham keeps a puppy named Yannick Weber — named after the Nashville Predators defenseman. Beckham adopted the dog during Mars Petcare’s adoption weekend event at the Nashville Humane Association on Saturday, August 25, 2018.
Metro Animal Care and Control
5125 Harding Place, Nashville, 615-862-7928
This Nashville government-run facility requires fosters to be at least 18 years old and fill out an application.
More information: Nashville.gov
Proverbs 12:10 Animal Rescue
Nashville, www.proverbs1210rescue.org
More information: Email DogFoster@proverbs1210rescue.org
Williamson County Animal Center
1006 Grigsby Hayes Court, Franklin, 615-790-5590
This facility run by the county government requires potential fosters to fill out an application.
More information: AdoptWAC.org
Rutherford County Pet Adoption and Welfare Services (PAWS)
285 John R Rice Blvd., Murfreesboro, 615-898-7740
For Rutherford County residents only, foster parents must be at least 18 years old. All foster stays are at least two weeks.
More information: rutherfordcountytn.gov
Gumdrop, in charge of Sarah and Kyle Crossland of East Nashville, paws at the window during an interview with The Tennessean at the Wags & Walks adoption center in Hermitage, Tenn., Friday, Oct. 3, 2025.
Cheatham County Animal Control
2797 Sam’s Creek Road, Pegram, 615-792-3647
For information: ccactn.org
Old Friends Senior Dog Sanctuary
765 Nonaville Road, Mount Juliet, 615-314-5565
This rescue is looking for “Geezer Guardians” to take in older dogs for the rest of the dogs’ lives. The sanctuary needs to foster live up to 100 miles from Mount Juliet and provides free veterinary care for the dog’s life.
More information: ofsds.org
Tennessee Dachshund Rescue
South Willow Avenue, Cookeville, tndachshundrescue@gmail.com.
More information: tndachshundrescue.com
This article originally appeared on the Nashville Tennessean: List of some of the animal shelters looking for dog fosters