Fostering an animal can save lives of those in shelters, and pet foster parents are always needed. Here are some tips to becoming an awesome pet foster parent.
What is Fostering?
When you’re a foster parent for a puppy, dog, cat or kitten, you open your home – and heart – to helping an animal in need. Without foster care, many animals would be euthanized. Some animals need just a short stay before their forever homes are ready and others need as much as a few months. Every case is different.
Why Are Foster Parents Needed?
Often pets are fostered when they aren’t quite ready for adoption. Fostering helps with socialization and shelter overcrowding.
Animals are usually paired with homes, so they fit in well. Normally, the foster organization provides vet care and medical supplies as well as lots of support when needed.
Foster families provide a home, supplies like food and kitty litter and lots of love.
Getting Attached
Some folks have said that they won’t foster because they know they will become too attached to the pet. That’s fantastic because, in most cases, a foster parent can apply to adopt the fostered pet and keep him or her forever.
There will be times when you will foster because the animal is waiting to go into a pre-designated forever home. It’s hard to give up a friend you’ve learned to love but the alternative is far worse.
You Can Choose
It’s okay to have a preference when fostering but make sure to make it clear to the organization beforehand. If you would prefer to foster just puppies or kittens, that’s a great skill to have. On the opposite end of the spectrum, fostering a senior dog or cat is wonderful too.
There may be times when you are asked to foster a dog or cat with medical needs. If you don’t feel comfortable with that, let the foster organization know. You don’t have to sign up for every fostering job that comes your way.
Types of Fostering
We’ve talked about medical care and young pets but there are other types of fostering. Behavior modification work may be requested or you may be asked to nurse a dog or cat back to health. If you’re asked to do some nursing duties and have other pets in your home, you may need to keep them separated. Being a pet foster parent is extremely rewarding and ideal for those who want to help but not be tied down to a permanent pet.
Photo Credit: istockphoto.com
