What’s a pet foster parent?

By offering a stray animal a temporary home you are a pet foster parent, mostly this is just prior to an already arranged adoption or before the animal can fly. Fostering animals is a wonderful and personal way to contribute to rescue stray animals, sometimes we even have horses or ducks who need a temporary home.

 

Why do animals need foster care?

There are many reasons:

RescataMe.org does not have a shelter to use.  Some animals don’t do well in the puppy pen, because they are too small, are frightened or need that extra care. Newborns may need to be bottle-fed or need extra nursing care. Most stray animals need recovery time from malnutrition, illness or post surgery attention.

Many animals need the extra love and attention, many reasons for that extra care before adoption is in progress. By opening your home and heart to a stray, providing foster care for a few days, weeks, or months is often a lifesaving gift for an animal.

 

Would I be a good pet foster parent?

This is a flexible "job", it requires only your time when you have it and commit to it. If you cant have a permanent pet resident, it's definitely a great way to enjoy pet love, even if you are not able to offer a lifetime commitment right now. Fostering can be an excellent option for young families, to add a dog or cat to the household, it's a great way to find out, if you want to commit for a resident pet.

By taking a stray animals into your home, by loving them, and then by letting them go after a certain period, requires a strong and specially kind personality. With your role as a foster parent. you prepare the pet for adoption to a loving forever home.

 

How much time will fostering take?

The specific needs of the animal will determine how much time is involved. Newborn orphaned puppies and kittens, for instance, must be fed every few hours. A frightened animal who needs socialization or training will also require some extra time. You can discuss your availability with the shelter or rescue group to determine what kinds of animals you’ll be best suited to foster.

 

What skills are needed to be an animal foster parent?

If you do have experience it’s better, but not necessary. Mostly the animals in need of foster care are those requiring that little extra attention and love. They might be shy and often need a lot of time to adjust, to trust and a loving home environment. 

 

What about food and medical care for the animal?

We will provide foster parents with all the necessary food and medication, however many foster parents accept that cost as a donation. RescataMe.org is always trying to help, should be need for medical care, these cost can always be covered, but however do very much appreciate if foster parents can take the cost of food.

 

What about my own pets?

Do your own pets accept other animals? Will they adjust to having a foster pet added to the household? You know your pets best, they might be doing very well with a temporary friend, this is tremendous help to socialize a foster animal. You’re the best judge of your own pet’s individual personality. However, for the safety of your own pets it’s important to keep them up-to-date on vaccinations. 

 

Will I have to find a home for the foster animal myself?

This would be absolutely fantastic, but in general no, as RescataMe.org mostly has already a solution, adoption parents or another organization to send it after the foster care. With your can help, by sharing on your own social media, or telling your friends, family and co-workers, you might be able to score a new forever loving home for your foster pet.

 

What about when it’s time to say good-bye to the fostered pet?

This is equally a hard but also joyful moment, when your foster pet goes to a wonderful new home, it still will be  an emotional moment. You will be bale to continue to "see" your foster pet through social media and befriend the new parents, they might even want to "meet" you too and get tips and hints in regards of the behavior of the foster animal. 

You will get updates  and see how they are enjoying their new family, its a very rewarding feeling, knowing that you were part of saving a stray animal to find a loving forever home! Many times a foster home turns into a permanent home. 

 

But is it fair to the animals being fostered?

Some people might be reluctant and oppose to foster, they seem to be concerned and find it unfair to establish a bond, but then allow the animal to be otherwise adopted to another family. They consider this to be that a second abandonment... But not at all! The lifesaving bridge for a stray animal allows that ultimate chance, to get used to us humans, life with a loving family, the opportunity to learn that people are kind, that food and water are available, and simple to enjoy a secure place to sleep. Foster care absolutely helps preparing the former stray animal for their new life to come in a permanent and loving home. Unfortunately there’s zero shortage of such animals in need, the preparation time before finding their own people is a important step towards a "normal" pet life.

 

How do I give pet fostering a try?

When you are ready, contact us, we talk you through with the details and soon you may welcome a new foster animal.

You as a foster parent can make an enormous difference in the number of stray animals, it is an important, valuable job and, best of all, it saves lives.

 

I can’t provide animal foster care, but are there other ways I can help?

But of course, with your volunteer help at spay & neuter clinic events, even sometimes we need the transporting of animals to and from the vet or new homes. As well by raising funds for medical care, food and supplies, spreading the word, all is very much appreciated help.

​

To save a single animal does not change the world, but the whole world changes for this animal.