Many people adopt pets from shelters — but what if you want a pet, but can't keep it permanently? Don't worry- there is a way you can temporarily look after pets that need a home for a couple of weeks called fostering.
What Is Pet Fostering?
Pet fostering provides temporary care for pets until they find a new environment or a family that agrees to keep them forever. This will be very useful for families of those who cannot keep their pets with them permanently.
Why Are Foster Homes Needed?
Animal welfare organizations work with lost, abandoned, injured, and relinquished animals. Foster Homes help the organizations to relieve overcrowding of animals. It also relieves the stress on animals because foster homes provide temporary love and care from the foster parents.
If the animal organizations give care to uninjured or stray animals, the place will be overcrowded and it will increase the stress and overtime work among the organization's volunteers. So, foster homes will help animals to find a foster volunteer family who will love and care for them for a while or until they find the animals a new permanent home.
This foster care will also help the pet parent who cannot be with them for a long time. For example, military officials. They can be with their pet only once a month.
So, foster care will be very useful for them. The foster volunteer family will care for their pet animal for a scheduled period.
What Does It Take To Be a Better Fostering Care Person?
Volunteers foster the cooperation of the family, flexibility, patience, a compassionate nature, and some knowledge of animal behavior.
It will help the animals to build trust in them. Individuals who are willing to volunteer to foster must apply to the organization and should attend the training classes. The sponsoring organizations will conduct a home visit - which will check if the animal has any problems and if the vaccination of that animal is up-to-date.
It will help the animals to maintain a healthy life. Foster care homes will provide free checkups for the foster animal and will give a number for any emergency of the animal.
What is The Eligibility to Foster An Animal?
You must be 18 years old to become a foster parent and you can apply to your nearby foster care organization. If you are below 18 years old, you can discuss it with your family and your parents and see the conditions of your home that will be pet safe.
If you tick off this checklist you are free to apply! You should take your foster pet and go for regular vaccinations and regular check-ups e.t.c. You can also teach them a few tricks. It will help them to behave more obediently to their permanent parents.
These are many situations for which a temporary home may be needed:
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Puppies and kittens that are too young to be adopted
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Nursing cats and dogs
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Ill, injured, disabled or other animals that may need regular medication or medical attention
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Dogs in need of socialization and training in a home or family environment
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Any animal that is highly stressed in a shelter, particularly older dogs and cats
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Previously abused, neglected, or abandoned animals that need to form a healthy bond with people
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Animals are displaced due to natural or other disasters awaiting reunion with their families.
The foster parents must be very soft and caring for their animals. Remember: foster animals were already hurt by society. We should give them a second chance.
What Is Meant By "Foster Failure"?
Sometimes, volunteers become so attached to the animals in charge that they legally adopt them. This is known as ‘foster failure’ because the capacity of the volunteer to care for other ‘temporary’ pets is diminished by one.
When some fosters care for animals for an extended period, naturally, strong bonds develop that can lead to foster failure. It will also occur when the foster pets are too attached to their foster parents. Many of the volunteers are looking forward to increasing the rate of foster failure.
The recent news states that foster care for animals has increased during this world pandemic. The foster families are getting more time in this lockdown, so the foster organizations are very happy to give as much as pets to many families.
It's a crucial part of the animal world.
You could find it amazing: Here's how:
- You are saving a life:
Every time you foster a pet, you are saving the animal's life. There is a survey saying every animal that goes into a foster home is bringing down the number of animals that are euthanized each year in the pet care organizations. As mentioned earlier, it will free up some space in the pet centers and will help them to relieve stress among the volunteers as well as the animals. It will give them more space to run and play!.
- It will make you feel good.
Yes, according to pet behavior researchers, it will be an incredible experience to watch a pet change from shy and afraid to a confident and happy transformation. Studies say this foster care is also improving the mental health of the foster parent or the foster family.
- It will help the teens : (Like me and you)
We face a lot of stress and tension these days. Want a stress reliever? Foster a pet!. Fostering a pet also helps to increase our happiness as we see them playing around us and when we get them for a walk, we can also get some exercise and fresh air. Fostering a pet is temporary, so you can look after your school or during your summer vacation e.t.c.
And it's free! As stated earlier, many organizations are ready to give foster pets free of cost. And their regular checkups and vaccinations are free of cost.
Are you ready to bring a furry friend home?
There are many organizations around the world for foster care. Some of the links are given below:
India: https://bluecrossofindia.org/foster/ : The Blue Cross of India - India
Australia: https://www.rspca.org.au/ - RSPCA organization - Australia
America: https://www.animalleague.org/get-involved/foster-care-program/ - North Shore Animal League - America.
London - https://www.animalert.ca/help/foster - London.
