Volunteer foster homes provide an essential element of care and love to homeless pets who are desperately in need of a place to “be” until they are adopted into qualified and loving homes.
Fostering a homeless pet(s) is one of the most important and in-demand resources within rescue and often defines if an animal can be saved “in time” or not. There are countless numbers of homeless pets who need you and fostering is both a rewarding experience and it saves lives! When we rescue animals that have no time left in high kill shelters, we MUST have a safe place for the animal to go before committing to save the animal. Foster care is the backbone of ANY rescue. Without foster homes, we are unable to rescue animals. This often means death for the shelter dogs and cats.
Our foster families provide the love, food, care and shelter for our rescues by opening their hearts and homes to care for the animals until approved permanent homes are found. We are limited to how many animals we save without available foster homes.
Being a foster family for Friends of Jackson County Animal Shelter Pets is a commitment. We know it’s not for everyone but it IS important to consider all the facts if this is something you truly want to do. Being a foster may not always be easy, but it IS a very rewarding experience than can be life changing! Just ask any of our current foster families.
As a foster family for Friends of Jackson County Animal Shelter Pets, YOU play an important role in saving one animal.
YOU ARE THE ONE WHO WILL GIVE A RESCUED ANIMAL A SECOND CHANCE!
This should give you a great sense of pride knowing how much you can contribute to saving a life. Without our foster families, these animals have little to no chance to survive.
The act of fostering an animal is an activity of personal choice, not to be taken lightly – there are requirements, responsibilities and personal liabilities that come along with caring for any pet you bring into your home.
An individual or family must consider the following issues carefully before committing to this important choice:
- Is your home a safe environment that can be set up to pets who may or may not know rules, boundaries or limitations?
- Do you have time to devote to a pets constant needs and demands? Do you have time to socialize and work through house training, chewing, or unknown behavioral issues that can surface later, etc?
- What type of pet would be best for you to start out with? What age of pet might be best for your situation?
- Do you have other animals to consider? Are your pets socialized and sterilized? Will they accept another pet in the home? Do you have the patience to do a slow introduction over the necessary amount of time to safely integrate a foster pet into your home?
- Are you emotionally, physically and mentally able to take on full responsibility of having control of a foster pet?
- Do you have health and liability insurance to cover injuries or damages you or others may receive in caring for a pet in your home?
- Are you able to financially cover any accidents, damages or other losses that can be associated with caring for a pet? For example, if your dog gets into a fight with the foster dog and requires medical attention resulting in veterinary medical bills or death; or your dog picks up fleas or a parasite from a foster pet resulting in having to treat your pet(s); etc. Are you able to cover other inherent liabilities? For example, if you lose control of the foster pet and it kills a neighbor’s chickens; if it chews something of significant value that belongs to you or someone else; if it bites or kicks you or someone else, etc.
- Will your neighbors take issue with your fostering pets?
- We require a fenced yard. Dogs need room to run where they can burn energy that can cause destructive tendencies. It also creates a safe environment and cuts down on unnessesary vet bills.
- All dogs can have potential problems that you may or may not have to face. Hook, round and tapeworms are something that any dog can carry. Animals that are pulled from the shelter are all wormed as soon as they are pulled; however, sometimes – depending on the history of the dog – it can have a severe infestation that one treatment does not cure. It may take 2 or even 3 treatments to help the dog recover from it. All you have to do is call and we provide the medications to help rid of the problem. We currently use Strongid, Drontal and Panacur. These are also available at your local feed store if you would like to provide the medications yourself.
- All of the fosters pets have to be up to date on vaccinations and spayed and neutered. NO EXCEPTIONS!
