Staying Paws-itive in Isolation: A short guide to fostering animals in quarantine
- adeadistrict2
- Dec 20, 2020
- 5 min read
So, things have gotten a little lonely in quarantine. The bars are closed, social distancing is still going strong, and you have somehow attained a level of introspection that you would have otherwise reached in your early 40’s. With limited human social contact, a lot of your peers and/or friends have found solace in a furry companion, and you think that this might be the route for you, too. After all, animal love is the best love… and it’s like a trial run for experimenting with parenting strategies. Never too early, right? Adopting can be a huge temporal and financial commitment, and fostering offers a suitable alternative that maintains the perks without breaking the bank. There are a few things that you should keep in mind before deciding whether to foster an animal. It’s one of the most compassionate and rewarding services that you can provide, but it’s certainly not a simple one. Here’s what you should know:
How is the foster service run? Many shelters that offer foster volunteering opportunities require those interested to fill out an application and attend an orientation prior to receiving your first foster animal. This typically ensures that those interested in fostering are not subjecting the animals to any form of cruelty and allows the little fluffballs to acclimate to living in a home prior to finding their forever home. Additionally, a major thing to note is shelter expense coverage. When you’re taking in these animals, you will be responsible for feeding, lightly training, and playing with them, as well as taking them to their veterinary visits. These costs add up, and shelters vary in how much they are willing to cover. Some shelters cover just veterinary appointments and procedures, while others cover everything. You need to figure out how much you’re willing to cover in order to match well with a prospective foster shelter. Finally, take note of the shelter’s level of professionalism. How quickly do they respond to your calls or emails? How often do they check-in on the animal’s well-being? Do they offer any resources or guidelines to supplement the fostering experience? These questions must all be answered before you choose a shelter or organization.
What is your building and living situation? Does your building allow pets? We don’t want you getting evicted, not for this. Take the time to look over your lease and avoid any awkward conversations with your landlord about why exactly every piece of furniture you own is covered in cat hair. If you have roommates, let them know that you plan to foster an animal. Make sure that they don’t have severe allergies, and if they’re comfortable with the idea of co-parenting from time to time. Some shelters require your roommates to sign a waiver for fostering as well.
Pet proof your room/space? Okay, so we’re in the clear with your landlord and roomies, now what? You need to pet-proof your living space. For the animal’s safety, it’s best to keep windows closed at all times (a crack open at most if you have no A/C). Remove any sharp or otherwise dangerous objects from common or low areas, as your foster animals could be harmed in an attempt to eat or play with them. This includes electric cords and power strips; cats love to chew on these things, which can prove dangerous for them and expensive for you to replace. Try to research how you can cover or make these objects less appealing for animals (there are many published resources online with helpful tricks). Lastly, create a makeshift “pet sanctuary” for your animal. It doesn’t have to be big, it can truly be a corner in your room. This area will be the space that your pet feels is uniquely their own, and this provides a sense of security that alleviates stress and streamlines socialization.
What about your other pets? So, you got greedy and went off and brought in a few furry mates when you already have some. Not a problem, but you have to consider a few things. Make sure that your resident animal(s) get along well with other animals, and are not overly territorial of your living space. If they are not accustomed to having other pets in their space, this might require some adjustment time. Shelters typically recommend keeping your foster animals separated from your resident animals for at least the first two weeks. This not only reduces risk of any domestic spats between your animals, but it also prevents potential infection of your resident animal. Along these lines, it’s important that you keep your resident animals up to date on their immunizations and check-ups before introducing a shelter animal into your home.
What are you willing to commit/what are your limits? With taking care of any living being, it’s imperative that you know your limits. Shelters can offer a wide range of “animal subcategories” to choose from when you’re applying to become a foster parent; for instance, under “cat,” you may find subcategories like “adult healthy cat, ill or physically disabled cat or kitten, newborn kitten, and shy kitten or adult cat”. Each of these presents with its respective time commitments on your end, some more so than others; particularly with sick or weaker animals, you’ll be expected to administer medication and keep up with vet visits. Furthermore, the socialization process for your animal will take some time. Forming a bond is a delicate process, and will require you to spend upwards of 2 hours a day solely on socializing your animal. After all, your job is to prepare them for their forever home! Most organizations also alert you of how long you’ll be expected to care for the animal before their anticipated adoption. This is typically an estimate, and can range anywhere from a few weeks to several months.
How does adoption work? Some shelters and organizations welcome you to be involved with finding a home for your foster animal, while others prefer to handle the entire adoption process themselves. This is something that you should learn before choosing a fostering service, as the amount of work you might have to put in to improve the adoption success of your pet (taking pictures, sending videos, asking your friends, etc.) can make or break the experience for you.
Will you be able to say goodbye? This is easily the toughest part of the whole fostering experience. Many foster parents grow attached to their animals. Your blood, sweat, and many, MANY tears (amongst battle scars from teething puppies and kitty talons) went into taking care of this little creature and monitoring its growth and social progress. You were responsible for improving this pet’s experience in their forever home, and that is something truly special. Tears will be shed, ice cream will be bought. But ultimately, this is the moment you’ve been building up to. A considerable percentage of foster parents end up adopting their animal. Known as “foster failure,” adoption is an option that is not offered by all shelters or organizations; after all, if you adopt your foster animal, you’re likely not eligible to be a volunteer anymore. Take some time to consider your comfort with letting go of a prospective foster fur baby, and read up on what various shelters will or will not allow when it’s time to say goodbye.
References:
ASPCA Foster Care Program Guide
Dr. Marty Becker DVM | December 11, 2. (n.d.). 9 Things to Consider Before You Foster a
Dog or Cat. Retrieved December 07, 2020, from http://www.vetstreet.com/dr-marty-
becker/9-things-to-consider-before-you-foster-a-dog-or-cat?page=2
How to Prepare Your Home for a Foster Pet. (2020, March 31). Retrieved December 07,
Kelley, J. (2015, June 04). 7 Things to Know Before You Start Fostering Shelter Cats.
Retrieved December 07, 2020, from https://www.catster.com/lifestyle/7-things-to-know-
This post was contributed by Rahul Gupta, Chapter Leadership Board of Directors Member at ADEA COSRF District 2 and student at Columbia University College of Dental Medicine ('22).
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