What Foster Care Means

Fostering is a way to help animals currently residing at the shelter by caring for them temporarily in your own home until they are ready to come back to the shelter to be placed up for adoption. There are many species of animals that benefit from fostering, from young to old, from mice to dogs!

Animals in Need of Foster Care

Animals need foster care for a number of reasons:

• Animals in need of socialization or manners training or behavioral modification.
• Animals too young to be adopted - either neonates w/o mothers or mothers and their litters.
• Animals in need of a quiet home to recover from an illness or injury.
• Animals that are very stressed by kennel life.

  

10 Ways to Become a Successful

FOSTER PARENT

1.     Give your foster animal lots of attention and affection.

The animal you are fostering likely has special needs that require time

and energy.  The animal may have lived a difficult life before coming to

your home; your love and attention will help them heal.

 

2.     Learn as much as you can about pet care.

Before you bring your foster animal home, learn as much as you can about

caring for that animal.  Read about feeding, grooming, and training.  Study the

warning signs that may indicate the animal needs veterinary attention.

 

3.     Be prepared to make a financial commitment.

Before volunteering to foster an animal, find out from the shelter what

costs you will incur. Depending on your shelter’s policies and resources,

you may be asked to pay for food, supplies, and/or veterinary care.

 

4.     Make your home pet-friendly.

Before you bring your foster animal home, make sure you “pet proof”

your home. For example, remove poisonous plants and protect furnishings.

Keep the animal’s room warm and comfortable.  Also, take steps to prevent the

animal from escaping and use crates and baby gates in the house for supervision.

 

5.     Keep your pets up-to-date on their vaccinations.

All animals should be current on the vaccinations your veterinarian recommends.

Before you bring home a foster animal, consult with your veterinarian to make

sure your own animals have received the preventive treatment they need.

 

6.     Keep foster animals away from your own pets.

A foster pet may come into your home harboring contagious diseases. Even

though your pets are vaccinated against many diseases, it’s a good idea to keep

the foster animal away from your pets as an added precaution, at least for awhile.

 

7.     Recognize your limits.

Fostering requires a great deal of time and energy—both emotional and

physical. Don’t overextend yourself by fostering animals too frequently; you

may burn yourself out.

 

8.     Return the animal to the shelter on time.

The shelter depends on you to make its program work. Be sure to return

the animal to the shelter at the scheduled time. If you decide to adopt an

animal you foster, go through the shelter’s normal adoption process. If a

friend or relative wants to adopt the animal you are fostering, that person

must go through the shelter’s adoption process—not yours.

 

9.     Understand that some foster animals will not survive.

Many animals who arrive at the shelter come from unknown backgrounds.

Despite your best efforts, the animal you foster may develop a severe illness or behavioral issue

that cannot be treated. Do the best you can to help the animal, but accept

the fact that you cannot save them all.

 

10.   Enjoy being a foster parent.

Although fostering takes a great deal of time and commitment, it can be an

incredibly rewarding experience. You are temporarily providing a needy animal

with a loving home environment and helping that animal become more

suitable for adoption into a responsible, lifelong home.

 

Foster FAQ

What animals can I foster?

Only designated RCHS staff shall approve and place animals into foster homes.  Animals that need foster care include, but are not limited to, cats with upper respiratory disease, neonate kittens either with or without a mother, under-socialized or semi-feral cats/kittens, cats or dogs with specific behavioral issues that can benefit from a training program, and other medical rehabilitation illnesses.

What does RCHS provide?

RCHS will provide all the basics such as food and litter, crates, collars, and leashes as well as medical care such as spay/neuter surgery, vaccinations, testing, and medications.  There is no direct cost to the foster, but we certainly appreciate when the foster can help out with needed supplies so our limited resources can go toward helping other animals that need us.  RCHS does not have the resources to provide outstanding medical care beyond our means but will make all reasonable efforts to provide for the care that each animal needs.

How long will the animal be in foster care?

Our goal is to move animals as quickly as possible into their forever homes.  We can’t help the next one if our foster homes are all full.  But it really depends on the animal…how old and how soon it recovers as well as what the animal population is like at the shelter at any given time will dictate how long an animal might need your help.  It may be a few days…it could be several months.  But all foster animals are welcome back at the shelter at any time should it not be working out at the foster home or a foster home needs to return them “early” for any reason.

 What happens to the animal after I return it?

When an animal is ready for adoption, it may return to the shelter if there is adequate kennel space available.  We get heavy traffic in the shelter so animals get viewed much more often if they’re physically at the shelter rather than just a website listing.  Cats may also go to our satellite adoption center located at Mounds if there is space available there.  Animals are never returned to the shelter just to be euthanized unless there is a medical or behavioral reason which makes their placement unreasonable.  Animals are placed up for adoption upon their return and soon find their happy homes thanks to you!

Can I adopt my foster animal?

Yes, you certainly can adopt under the standard adoption guidelines and fees.  However, please keep in mind that if a foster person adopts all of her/his foster animals, then that doesn’t leave a foster home open for the next shelter animal that needs help.  We know it’s hard to say goodbye, but please be realistic about your own personal emotional attachment issues and whether fostering is the best thing for you and the animals…it’s not for everybody and that’s o.k.!  Some foster animals, especially neonates, do not survive despite our best efforts.  There are other ways to help the shelter, and we’ll help you find them!

How many animals can I foster at once?

One foster animal or litter per foster family at a time, please.  Exceptions can be made on a case by case basis, but we want to be sure that all time and resources are focused on helping one foster case at a time.

What about my own animals in my house?

            Please refer to #5 and #6 on the 10 Ways to Become a Successful Foster Parent.

 

All foster families must first submit a volunteer application and then meet in person with the foster coordinator or Volunteer Supervisor for an individual orientation.  We will explain what will be expected of you as a foster parent and will answer any questions you may have.

The length of stay in foster care can vary from a few weeks to several months, depending on the animal's specific needs. Homes that are able to take fosters on a consistent basis are wonderful but even homes that can take only a couple of fosters per year can be a big help for the shelter's special needs animals.

More Information on Foster Care

For more information on foster opportunities, please contact the shelter at (608) 752-5622.

 

New foster homes are always needed, especially for cats!