Foster parents are needed for. . .
DOGS & PUPPIES
Rise to the occasion, take the leash, and transform the life of a fun-loving dog who needs you! While fosters are needed for dogs of all sizes, especially for large size dogs, to provide walks, play, and training to help them transition to home life and reach their potential as family pets. Whether you’re an experienced dog owner or new to it, we’ll support you in managing any behavioral changes that arise in foster care.
We are also seeking foster homes for dogs with a variety of medical conditions and are in need of a little extra TLC while they heal from surgery or receive treatment at our clinic for illnesses or injuries. We focus on saving the neediest dogs, many of whom are seniors with special medical needs that require ongoing care.
CATS
Foster homes are needed for felines with a variety of medical conditions including upper respiratory infections, eye infections, dental conditions, digestive issues, leg injuries, wounds, and more. Most just need to finish a round of meds before they’re ready for adoption, while others are more ill and urgently need a home setting to heal.
Foster homes are also crucial for cats who are shut down and scared at the shelter. They need a quiet place to decompress and feel safe again. And playful, high energy cats also benefit from a foster home where they can receive more playtime and space than at the shelter.
Nursing Moms with Kittens
The best kept secret of fostering a family: mom does all the work! With just the basics (food, litter, vet care, and love) the kittens will grow healthy, strong, and ready for adoption. When Mom’s done nursing, she’ll go on to find a loving family too. Fosters are especially needed during the summer months – also known as “kitten season.”
Most nursing moms make fostering easy, but sometimes they may fall ill with a cold and need your help feeding the kittens. Occasionally, hormonal changes can make mom a bit protective as well.
Orphaned Kittens
Take a pair, three, or more! Kittens who are too young for adoption need temporary foster care where they can grow big enough to be spayed/neutered before adoption. Most of these kittens are eating on their own, but they need foster homes to keep a close eye on their health and appetites to ensure they’re growing big and strong!
The need is most urgent during summer months for both kittens eating on their own as well as bottle-feeding newborns. Sometimes kittens will need a little extra TLC with medical treatment for upper respiratory infections, eye infections, digestive issues, or injuries. And if they haven’t been well socialized with people yet, they will need your help getting comfortable and adoption ready!
Safety Net Pets
PAWS’ Safety Net Foster Program provides temporary housing for pets whose owners are going through times of transition or crisis. These are cherished pets with owners who love them, and just need a temporary place for them to stay during a life change. For pet owners who only need a few weeks or months to get resettled, safety net foster homes can provide peace of mind, keep animals out of shelters, and enable joyous reunions to occur.
By providing a temporary home as a safety net foster parent until they can be reunited with their families again, you’ll be saving a pet from losing their best friend and saving an owner from heartache. Safety Net fostering usually lasts between 3-5 months, and is a rewarding way to enjoy some furry companionship.
Cats & Kittens with Ringworm
This is one our biggest foster needs in the summer months! Fosters are needed for cats with ringworm, a simple fungal infection of the skin that can affect cats of all ages, especially kittens. While it can spread to humans and other pets, don’t let ringworm scare you—careful quarantine procedures along with proper medical treatment for a few weeks usually does the trick! By fostering cats with ringworm you can make a big impact, especially since these cats are at high risk of euthanasia when city shelters become full.
As a ringworm foster, you’ll need a designated space to keep your cat separate from other animals. We provide all the supplies and guidance you need to care for ringworm kitties, and these friends can be promoted for adoption while undergoing ringworm treatment.
Small Animals
Looking for a small, furry bundle of fun? Our guinea pigs, hamsters, and gerbils are some of the easiest foster pets to care for! These tiny friends don’t take up much room and typically find homes within 1-2 months, or they can be placed at our Old City Adoption Center. PAWS can provide a cage, starter supplies including food and bedding, and care instructions for your new friend!
Bottle-feeding Kittens
Orphaned newborn bottle feeder kittens are especially fragile and at risk without their mom. They need around the clock care, being fed every 2-4 hours. While it’s a lot of work with some sleepless nights for a few weeks, it’s incredibly rewarding to see the kittens grow! You can opt to foster these babies until they’re eating on their own or until they’re ready for adoption.
Short Term Care
Pet sitting for other foster parents is incredibly helpful to prevent pets from being returned to the shelter.
For dogs with longer stays, you can give them a shelter break and help us get to know them. You can take them out for a day trip, or take them home for a set amount of time.
FAST candidates are social cats with a mild illness or injury. They’re considered a shorter term foster commitment because they typically only need about 3 weeks of foster care. Once they’re healed up, they can be dropped back off at our adoption center.
For kittens who arrive at our shelter unexpectedly and aren’t fully eating on their own, they cannot stay at the shelter overnight, therefore they need urgent temporary foster care while we find a longer term foster.