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Last updated on July 5th, 2024 at 11:51 am
If you are thinking about adopting a new pet you may want to try fostering.
Fostering is a short-term process that allows people to care for animals. Every rescue, shelter, or no-kill shelter may have options available. You will need to seek more info for your area.
Why foster
Fostering can help you get to know if you will be the right fit for a cat or dog. It also gives you a chance to see if your lifestyle will be accommodating as well.
Fostering can be done with kittens, cats along with dogs, or puppies. Many times they might be too young to be adopted. Other times they may just need to be socialized a bit more.
Socializing basically means that the animal is accustomed to people and possibly other animals.
For example, if you will be fostering a young kitten and you are socializing them with your household. If you have a dog or older cat you may slowly introduce them to each other.
What are the demands of Fostering?
The demands may vary depending on the animal’s age and needs. Your local shelter or rescue group may provide you with more info.
For example, if you will be fostering young kittens (under a month old). You will need to keep them on a feed schedule and help them keep clean. If the kitten is older (5 weeks and up). You would probably just have to socialize them. You may have to litter box train them as well.
Fostering may lead to adoption
Fostering a pet may lead to adoption. I’m not certain if all shelters or rescue groups would allow you to adopt the pet at the end of your fostering time. But you could ask.
That’s what happens to me with Dylan, Sam, and Teddy. We were going to care for them until they were old enough to find them a home. But as time went on we named them and fell in love with them.
They are now very happy and healthy-year-old cats.
Even if you can’t foster
Even if you can’t foster a kitten or puppy you can still contact your local shelter or rescue group and ask if they need volunteers.
Some shelters and rescues have volunteers come in to help with young animals for feedings and playtime.
So if you are looking to adopt a pet try fostering one first.
Teddy Series
A photo set of Teddy. Teddy is a beige kitten with a dark face, paws, and tail. He loves cuddles. He is the brother of Dylan and Sam. One photo is a close-up of him exploring the yard. The second is one of him napping.
