When you foster, you agree to take a shelter animal into your home and give them love, care, and attention, either for a pre-determined period of time or until the pet is adopted.

The amount of time spent fostering will vary. It may range from a weekend to several weeks, or even months, depending on the individual case. During kitten season, many mother cats and kittens need a place to stay for several weeks while they are growing.

There are a few things to consider when deciding to foster an animal. Foster caregivers must:

• Be at least 18 years old.
• Complete a foster care application and sign a foster care agreement.
• Have the time and ability to care for the foster animal(s) and keep them safe from potential hazards.
• Keep the fostered animal(s) indoors.
• Be able to set aside time to bring your foster animal in for scheduled follow-up vaccinations, spay/neuter surgery, and/or adoption events.
• Be able to administer medication (as needed).
• Isolate foster animals from family pets within the home (as needed).
• Quarantine your foster animals for the first 14 days to prevent the spread of diseases to resident pets.
• Maintain a peaceful, loving environment for the foster animals and spend time socializing with them.
• Maintain communication with the foster coordinator – notify immediately of any changes in appetite, signs of illness, etc.

In addition:

• Existing animals in your home must be up-to-date on vaccines, spayed or neutered, and in good health
• Every family member in the household will need to be prepared for the commitment and emotions involved with fostering.

In addition:

• Existing animals in your home must be up-to-date on vaccines, spayed or neutered, and in good health
• Every family member in the household will need to be prepared for the commitment and emotions involved with fostering.

If you have questions about fostering dogs or cats, please contact us.

There are many benefits to placing an animal into a foster home. Here are some examples of animals that need foster homes:

• Orphaned kittens and puppies that require frequent (around the clock) bottle feeding and care.
• Scared/unsocialized cats and dogs who need time and patience to learn to trust humans and build confidence.
• A momma cat and her babies need a quiet place to stay and will need socialization as they grow older.
• A cat or dog recovering from surgery, illness or injury needs a safe place to recuperate.
• A cat or dog showing signs of stress, such as pacing or hiding in the shelter needs a calm place to relax.

Fostering is one of the most rewarding experiences you can have (other than adopting, of course). By taking an animal in need temporarily into your home, you’re:

• Freeing up a cage at the shelter for another cat or dog.
• Giving your foster animal the time that s/he needs to be ready for adoption.
• Helping the shelter learn more about the animal so they can find the right adoptive home for him/her.
• Socializing the cat or dog to a home environment and (possibly) getting him/her used to being around other pets and new people.

Fostering is a good option if you are unable to care for an animal full-time (if you travel a lot, frequently move, etc.). It’s also a good way to determine if having a cat or dog in your life is for you.

You may only have your foster animal for a short period of time but might quickly bond. It can be difficult to let a foster pet go but remember that doing so is for the greater good, once the cat or dog has found a new family, this will free up space for you to help another animal in need.