Written by
rainbow_daydreamer

Do My Ears Deceive Me?
The Principle of Fostering
Getting Started
Choosing Your Foster
Foster Care

Please note: For ease of use, I will refer to the example foster pet as "she" throughout this page. This is not intended to imply any bias against male foster pets. I'm simply a stickler for grammar, and dislike using "they" for a single pet.

So, the impossible has happened.

It's not just that you agree with the points I've made on Mem's page.
It's not just that you're prepared to accept that I might not be a delusional redundant power-tripper.

You actually want to be like me.
Not, of course, in the sense of having two Baby pets, a mountain of unanswered Neomail, or a Wadjet that chases people around the house. No.

You want to be a foster parent.

Well, guest, you've come to the right place. Welcome to the Rescuer's Kitbag. This page is designed for people just like you, who'd love to come help do the right thing but don't really know where to start. I'll try to explain some of the most handy tips that I've learnt as a foster parent, as well as a few basic pointers to set you on the right track. After that, it's up to you.

Notice This!
	While most of this page is fairly general in scope, I'll be using little boxes like this one to pass on specific handy tips. Watch out for them as you read.

The aim of Neopet fostering is to find new homes for pets who, for whatever reason, have been left without an owner to care for them. The reasons for this should be self-evident: most Neopets are happier in a loving home, where they'll receive lots of attention. But to get that special someone to notice her from among hundreds of other lonely souls, the pet needs some kind of special sparkle. Which is where we come in.

Fostering isn't done for profit or celebrity. If you think you'll get either of those things out of doing what I do, perhaps you should consider becoming a Neodaq millionaire instead, and I wish you well. There isn't really a way to make money out of this work, though some of the tips I'm going to give you below might well help you to save your Neopoints more efficiently. No, foster parents are in it primarily for love of what they do: helping homeless Neopets find happiness. If that sounds like your aspiration, read on.

Now that's settled, it's time to get you set up as a budding foster parent. Most people have their own individual approach to fostering, but here are the basic things that you'll need to start your own home for unfortunate Neopets.

One of the most important considerations, but one that I've seen overlooked by several beginners. If you want to take care of lost Neopets, you'll need somewhere to house them temporarily.
The easiest way of making free space is to create a new side account and set up your agency there. A side account is an extra Neopets account that can support four additional pets, but is not allowed to earn Neopoints or win prizes. If you choose to create a new one for your fosters, that's four free spaces right there. However, keep in mind that each Neopian is allowed five accounts in total. It doesn't matter whether the accounts are for fosters or permies-- five is the limit.
If you have a space on your main account, you could keep foster pets there. However, you'll move more slowly if you only have one or two slots for fosters, and I'd advise opening a side account if you're able.

Notice This!
	If you do need to create a side account, consider using this link! It'll tell TNT I was the one who suggested the idea to you, and I might get a reward.

Another very important component of any foster parent's setup, the Lab Ray will need to be installed onto your fostering account. Yes, I know all the Times stories about foster parents seem to feature eccentric billionaires who can produce an infinite supply of paintbrushes from nowhere, and if you happen to be one of these, you probably don't need me to tell you anything. For those of us in down-to-earth Neopia, though, the Lab Ray is the easiest way to transform foster pets.
I'm aware that the Ray is quite a large expense, but it's a one-off cost for a never-ending convenience and well worth the money.
Since most would-be foster parents are conversant with the workings of the Lab Ray, I won't go into details here. If you need more information, I would recommend a visit to this fine petpage, which contains more facts than I could possibly hope to put down here.

This should be fairly obvious, but just to make sure: if you're thirteen years old or under, make sure your parental permission form is signed and sent. Foster parents make frequent use of both Neomail and the discussion boards, and if you can't talk on either, you're going to have an uphill struggle.

No, not a lot of them. But it's worth mentioning that you can't afford to be flat broke as a foster parent. Adopting takes money, so does disowning, not to mention the various belongings you might want to buy for your fosters. If you're someone given to shopping until you drop, you might want to reconsider your spending habits. Don't worry if you're saving for a goal, though-- it's perfectly possible to do this thing on a budget.

So, you've got your basic kit together-- it may have taken a bit of work, but you're finally set. Foster space? Check. Lab access? Check. Parental permission? Check. Spare Neopoints? Check. Everything's in place and you're raring to go.

Well, firstly, congratulations on getting this far! But now you have all these essential items, you're bound to realise you need one more important thing, possibly THE most important thing of all: the foster pet herself.

Finding a new foster can be both exhilarating and upsetting. It generally involves a trip to a place that you and your Neopets might have thought you'd never venture near: the Neopian Pound, that plain, brown-roofed building in Neopia Central. It's true that seeing the abundance of lonely pets in their temporary accommodation can be an unhappy experience. But the more people like you that turn up to do something about the situation, the more the Pound will become a place of hope and new beginnings. So get to it, rookie!

Once the Uni at the desk has shown you into the adoption area, it's time to begin your search. When choosing a foster pet to bring home, the most important thing to remember is that you're not looking for perfection. Pets who draw admiration from all comers are likely to find a home on their own, and there are plenty more who need your help more urgently. So pass over that Rainbow Lupe or MSP Poogle and turn to the basic-coloured pets-- they're the ones who need you most..

For your first foster pet, it's probably best to choose a well-named pet. It's true that I myself don't do this-- now. But a quick glance through my past fosters will show that my first few residents were fairly prettily named. In general, a pet named Leilra or Vanadon will be easier to foster than one named KellycutiePIE or Mara1925, although there are always exceptions. As an alternative to surfing the Pound for your new pet, some foster parents like to check the Neoboards for anyone who's leaving Neopia and has to give away their pet. To be sure, this can sometimes have results: my own permies Mem and Blue, as well as a handful of fosters, arrived after I answered adverts on the boards. However, it can take an unnecessarily long time to find an advertiser brave enough to mention unpainted pets.

Once you've chosen your foster pet, use the Adopt-a-Pet Search Engine to collect her from Rosie and Dr. Death's care. Now you're really getting somewhere!

So, your brand new foster pet has come home. Assuming you've managed to accustom your permies to their new foster-sister, what's next?

A little bit of TLC, that's what. Losing an owner, for whatever reason, is always a traumatic experience for a pet. Your newest resident might be unhappy after her stay in the Pound, and since the staff are too busy to check whether every pet is fed, there's a good chance she'll be hungry too. Here's where the extra money for treats and toys will come in handy.
Some Neopets are given up by their owners in the hope of finding someone willing to spend time nursing a sick pet back to health. If your new foster isn't feeling well, a trip to the Healing Springs in Faerieland should be first on your list.

Notice This!
	Did you know that Pterii have a long tradition of using worms as natural medicine? It may not sound particularly appetising, but if you serve your little bird a dish involving the creepy-crawlies-- like a Worm Nugget or a Hot Worm Hot Dog-- she should perk up at once.

Some foster parents reckon their work is over when they get to this point. I'd say the intensive bit is really just beginning.

Now that the lab isn't going to take away any stats any more, you can train your little one if you so desire. Dubloons found at Coltzan's Shrine are excellent for buying your foster some basic combat lessons; bottled Faeries, also, can be won from the Tombola and their ability blessings make a nice addition.
It may be that your foster isn't a natural fighter, and that's fine; not all pets are. You can still work on her other attributes, including a very noticeable one... Intelligence! A little time spent reading to your foster every day can really make a difference, and helps to give her that extra shine.

Another thing you can do for your foster at this point, if you have the money and the inclination, is to buy her a Petpet. There are plenty of inexpensive Petpets out there, and your pet is bound to feel happier with a permanent creature companion.

While all this improvement work is going on, don't forget the most important thing of all... love her! The time between labbing and adoption is one of the best times to get to know your foster pet. If you're artistically talented, then draw her picture; if you aren't, maybe you could give her a simple but pretty lookup, write a paragraph about her possible origins, give her a nickname if her full name is too much of a mouthful...

Eventually, you'll be ready to put that special notice on her lookup:
Kitty is up for adoption!

Welcome to the hardest work you'll have to do as a genuine, determined foster parent. I'm not saying that the adoption circuit isn't a lot of fun at times. But there will be times when you feel like giving up, especially early on in your fostering career. Don't let the difficulty get the better of you! Eventually, your work will pay off, and you'll be glad you stuck with it.

What's the first thing to do once your pet is ready to adopt? In my opinion, the first move should be to set some rules. Some people claim foster parents don't need rules, but I would disagree. An adoption rules page can be combined with a list of your current adoptees, it should fit nicely on any spare petpage you have going, and most importantly of all, it lets everyone know where they stand.
For example, one of my rules is "No chatspeak in applications." Contrary to what some people think, this isn't because I'm a fussy Neopian brat. I find chatspeak very hard to read, so I think my applicants deserve to know they have a far better chance with me if they use ordinary English (or French, or German. If you do speak multiple languages, say so on your rules page!)

Most foster parents' basic rules are the same, because they're the most crucial ones. Some examples are "Don't abandon one of your pets to make space for one of mine", and "Don't sell Kitty's Petpet." As time passes, you'll find your own amendments you want to make. That's perfectly normal! What isn't advised is to go over the top. If you ask every applicant to draw a picture of your foster pet, you're immediately restricting yourself to Neopians who can draw well and have a scanner. Why limit the field like that? I can't draw for toffee, but that doesn't stop me being a good owner to my twelve permies.

Once you've got rules set, it's time to make the actual request. How you do this depends on your own usual style of interaction, and how quickly you want things to move. There's no question that the easiest way to get attention fast is to post an advert on the Neoboards. It's also one of the most nerve-wracking methods of advertising. Be aware that some Neopians aren't very fond of foster parents or our advertising, and will often try to tell you that you shouldn't be there. It helps to be somewhat thick-skinned in these circumstances. Don't ever let their criticisms get to you. You have a right to be there, and don't you forget it.
Foster parents' posts vary, but I've found the following formula to be fairly effective.

Subject line:Give the pet's species, a few things about her, and the fact that she is up for adoption.
Main message: The pet's name, a short description (including Petpet, if she has one), and state that she is seeking a new home. The last line should be a link to your adoption rules if they include a picture of the pet, and if not, a link to the pet herself.
Subsequent posts: Be prepared to "bump" the message yourself, but encourage questions and comments from others too. Answer any questions promptly, but ignore flames.

The work isn't done quite yet, however. Out of all the hopeful messages and writings, you somehow have to narrow down the field to a couple of finalists. How do you begin? Well, the obvious first step is to get rid of all the applications that are many, many miles from being suitable.

Some common signs of bad applications
~ Refers to your pet as "it" consistently
~ Refers to your pet by her species and/or colour alone
~ Has your pet's name in a much bigger and bolder font than the rest of the Neomail-- this tends to indicate that he's copied the name directly off the lookup in order to avoid being caught on the first two criteria. The only time I tolerate this is when a pet's name contains more numbers than letters.
~ Offers to disown a pet to make room for yours. Seriously, WHY do people think this impresses us?

Of course, considerably worse than a simply bad application is one that appears OK, but whose writer turns out to be unknowingly breaking the Terms and Conditions-- the laws of Neopia. I'll say this now: no matter HOW good an applicant they are or HOW long it's taken you to get anyone to apply, never ever ever take a chance on a rule-breaker. Tell him what he's doing wrong and then politely turn him down. Otherwise, he could be frozen along with your ex-foster.

Some tell-tale clues you're dealing with a rule-breaker:
~ The applicant doesn't know which account is his main, or is unsure what a main account actually is.
~ Although the applicant claims to have one main account, his side accounts have game scores on them, including quite recent sponsor activities.
~ The applicant is inconsistent about his own name, referring to himself by two or more different names over the course of the application.
~ Split personality-- he will yell at you and then take it back almost immediately, make claims about his account and then tell you they aren't true, forget things you asked him about yesterday, or suddenly switch writing styles.

So once you've ruled out the bad applications and the rule-breakers, you'll hopefully be left with a smaller pile of "good" applicants. These sincere and keen Neopians will genuinely care about your pet and provide a good home... apparently.

What's next? Believe it or not, a bit of surreptitious detective work. One thing you should get from your applicants as soon as possible is a list of all their accounts. Now it's time to go looking around.

Things to take note of when looking at applicants' accounts:
~ Do unhappy/hungry/sick pets remain so over more than a few days?
~ How often does the applicant log in?
~ Do any pets suddenly disappear and not reappear on side accounts? ALWAYS call the applicant on this. There may be a perfectly good explanation, but you have to be sure.
~ Is the applicant applying for any other pets at the same time as yours? If so, does he have room for all of them if he is chosen? Are any petpage applications tailored to the individual pet, or are they approximate carbon copies of the one he sent to you? Talking to the other foster parent will do no harm, if you can find out her name.
~ Do his pets have descriptions, customised petpages, or any other evidence of creativity?

Although outsiders don't realise this, a quick look around an applicant's accounts can tell you a lot about his level of commitment, dedication and honesty. If he claims he'll cherish your pet with the love she deserves, but his own pets are constantly starving and unhappy and one of them mysteriously vanishes in April to be replaced with a Cybunny, alarm bells should be going off.

What you should have when the detective work is done is two or three finalists: the best of the best, applicants you'd be delighted to see your pet go home with when the time comes. The next task is to choose, hard though it is. Yes, I know that if you could you'd clone your pet and send her home with all of them. But that's not possible, and the choice has to be made.

What do I advise? Interview. Interview like you were getting paid per question. Good things to find out include what an applicant considers his primary Neopian activity, what appeals to him about your pet exactly, what he thinks about their current pets, whether he plans ever to repaint his pets (if applicants say they'll repaint yours, that really isn't a bad thing... contrary to popular belief. It means they're attracted to more than just her colour...) Ask what he'll do if he ISN'T chosen. (Will he immediately rush out after a near-identical Speckled Kougra?) Find out as much as you can about all your applicants. Information is power.

Notice This!
	Find out whether the prospective owner has ever RPed (Role Played). If so, why not arrange an "interview" with the foster pet herself? It makes a refreshing change from the normal barrage of questions, and you can find out more about the applicant while having fun at the same time.

Once you've chosen, it's good practice to bring all your applicants up to date as quickly as possible. Congratulate the new owner and let the others down as gently as you can. Make sure they know that you think a lot of them as owners and that they're welcome to apply for any of your other fosters, if you have any.

It's funny how things change, isn't it? When I first started writing this guide, this section was intended to be filled with strict guidelines on pre-transfer procedure, including screenshots to take as proof of ownership, double-hand transfer practice, a formula Neomail explaining the process to your applicant, and not least, advice on the best times of day to set up a transfer rendezvous without sabotaging your sleep cycle for a week. Now, all of a sudden, Neopia has become a different world, and none of that is necessary.

What still holds, though, is the importance of communication with your chosen applicant. Make sure he's ready to receive your pet before you take any further action. That means a free slot on the right account, no recent inward transfers to that account, and no plans to go offline over the next few days.

This is also, of course, the time to spend a few extra quality hours with your pet. Sure, you don't need to improve her stats and so forth any more, but this is the last time the two of you are going to be this close. Take some time to play together, read to her, and try to explain a little of what's about to happen. For a young pet it can be very confusing.

Once the applicant confirms that he's ready, it's...

No more hanging about. This is it: the moment you've been working towards ever since the first day with your foster. Grab her stuff and get ready to move.

Neopia Central is your destination, and that same plain-looking building, the Pound. This time, you're looking to choose the metallic door at the centre of the lobby, where a robot Hissi is waiting to help you with what follows. Give your foster one last hug and step up to the desk.

Click the "Transfer!" button beneath your foster's picture, and enter the name of her new owner. Make sure to get it right! You'll only have one chance this month, so do whatever you feel necessary to make sure the right name goes in the box. Then hit the OK button.

The Hissi will charge a 1000 NP fee, then hurry off with your foster. The new owner has three days to sign for her delivery, otherwise she will be returned to you.

I know it's a terrible thing, but all you can do now is WAIT. Keep an eye on the new owner's userlookup until you're sure that your girl is home safely. Sooner or later, she'll appear safe and sound in her new home.

So, she's home. What now?

Your first step should be to follow up with a Neomail to the new owner congratulating him on the hitch-free transfer, and expressing your best wishes for him and his pet. If your foster had any favourite toys or grooming items, now is the time to send them on. Take any listings of the foster pet out of your agency page and any guilds or directories that might have agreed to help advertise her.

And then... raise a glass, Neggnog or otherwise, to your success. You've taken one of Neopia's lost and lonely pets and brought her to a home where she'll hopefully be loved forever. Congratulations! You're a real foster parent.

The initial euphoria of a successful adoption can last anywhere from a few hours to several days if you're lucky. After a while, though, you'll begin to realise that not everything is 100% perfect.

It's inevitable. You'll begin to notice the empty space on your account, the fact that you're playing Neo without that familiar pet looking over your shoulder. You'll realise, sooner or later, that though you're very happy for your foster's new life, you miss her. It's the gap in your heart that you let yourself in for when you started on this mission, and it can't be prevented.

Eventually, the satisfaction of a job well done will return to submerge the sadness. But in the meantime, you probably know already that there's only one way to heal that gap right here and now.

And that's why you'll find yourself setting foot in the backroom of the Neopian Pound, the kindly pink Uni at your side, looking for the next lonely little pet in need of your magical touch...

Fostering. It's addictive; once you've started, you're hooked. And if we're honest, we wouldn't have it any other way.