Any such place to try out a an animal to see if you like it

Fostering is the way to go with that. It is usually not recommended to bring an animal into a new home and then giving them the boot, thereby shuffling them from one place to another. It disquiets them, and if there are any behavioral issues, they certainly won't get solved when jumping from place to place.

That said, though- if you're looking for some fuzzy love, fostering is a great opportunity to do something really good for those in need and if you fall in love with one? All the better!

Can you dog/cat/iguana sit a friend's beast? You get to figure things out without putting some animal through adoption rejection.

Another place to start, if the animal in question is a dog, is Prospect Park during off-leash hours. You can observe lots of different kinds of dogs, often gathered by type if you're talking poodles or pugs. And you can chat up the owners . . . plenty of people like to talk about their dogs.

If you find you like a particular breed - rat terriers or boxers or whatever - there might be a rescue group attached to it for more info/foster possibilities/etc. on those animals and their particular requirements.

For dogs the Yonkers Animal Shelter is outstanding. They have isolated play areas so you can take the dog you're interested away from the chaos of the other dogs and get to know them a bit. But with any animal it can take days in your home before they acclimate and reveal their true personalities.

Yes, most groups prefer you to return an animal to them if it doesn't work out but I think you don't get your money back in most cases. If they did that people would "try out" pets far too often and shuffling them around isn't best for them.

VS, if you want a cat, I'm guessing there are plenty of groups looking for foster homes. If you and the cat aren't a match, you'll just help find it a forever home. If it's a good match, you're both happy.

For dogs, I think most responsible shelters and rescues won't just let anyone foster a dog. Dogs can be a big liability and since they have to be taken outside regularly (meaning you'll meet lots of other dogs and people), they prefer people who have volunteered and been trained by their group as foster homes. If you're looking for a dog, maybe try volunteering at a shelter so you can get an idea of what is a good match for you.

Good luck!

You can't adopt this dog, but it would let you know if you're ready for a perma-dog! Similar situation with a dog to the one above, listed on Fido's website:

http://www.fidobrooklyn.com/rescue/adoption.html

Please Foster Magnus...
Magnus is a Poodle/Wheaten Terrier mix, aged 1.5 years. We rescued him from a shelter 7 months ago, and have since given him lots of love and expert training. I'm taking a job in Michigan for six weeks this Summer in which I likely won't be able to bring him (6/15 -- 8/05,) and am looking for a temporary fostering solution for my little gentleman.

He is immensely sweet and affectionate, and loves to be close. However, Magnus was terribly neglected by his previous owner and roughed up by other dogs in the shelter, so he has some residual separation anxiety, coupled with a quarrelsome nature with other dogs. He's quite wary of strangers at first, but quickly becomes a kissing lap-companion once he finds that you're no threat to him or the home.

His bonus features are as follows: up-to-date on all his shots; neutered; micro-chipped
knows most obedience commands and is trained to run alongside a bicycle for exercise.
The ideal candidate would be a freelancer like myself or a couple, with someone who works from home. I would, of course, provide all food and expenses. Compensation can be either financial or barter (I offer custom paintings and portraiture).

Call or e-mail Rusty [email protected]

chuleta wrote: Yes, what they said ^^

A good agency I know of is Kitty Kind, if you want to foster/adopt a cat. They are a no-kill animal shelter, and they will always take an animal they adopted out back. They deserve support.

http://www.kittykind.org/

The address on their website is for Petco. Are they affiliated with them and/or located there or something?

I adopted my cat through Kitty Kind. They said they could take her back if things didn't work out. That was almost 4 years ago.