BECOME A FOSTER PARENT… TO A DOG OR CAT!

Posted by Parents & Kids Guest Writer | Apr 5, 2020

According to the American Society for the Prevention of Cruelty to Animals (ASPCA), an estimated 6.5 million pets enter animal shelters annually. The ASPCA further estimates that about 1.5 million pets are euthanized each year.  

Pet fostering offers a solution to help reduce this statistic. 

These candidates include “animals who aren’t quite ready for adoption, including very young kittens and dogs and cats recuperating from illness, injury or medical procedures.” 

By fostering, space is freed in shelters to allow time to place animals in loving homes. It also helps a family decide if it’s ready for a pet.  

“As a parent, my kids love fostering. It teaches responsibility,” said Dani Snell, media coordinator at Southern Pines Animal Shelter in Hattiesburg. 

While caring for the animals, kids learn about being gentle, and about altruism. They discover other ways to get involved in the community, which may not have been previously considered before they witnessed sick animals get better, or small animals growing.    

“Fostering can also help develop emotional maturity,” Snell explained. Children will learn to process grief partly through experiencing the heartbreak of having to give the animals up when the foster period is over.  

“This can teach children how helping can hurt sometimes,” Snell said. 

Fostering can also be a great way to determine if your family is ready for a pet.  

“Owning a pet can be a daunting obligation, so fostering can be a way to dip your toes in and see if it will be a good fit for you,” Snell suggested.

Pets benefit as well from fostering. The pet learns socialization in a caring home, including how to love and be loved. A foster family can provide feedback to the shelter on the pet’s temperament, to assist with permanent placement, according to Community Animal Rescue and Adoption (CARA) in Clinton, Miss. 

As you consider this option for your family, have no fear.

“We will show you the needs of the pet, and will provide as much help (as is) needed to assist in the care of the animal… in person, through the emergency phone number, and via the Facebook group,”  assured Ashlynd Smith, foster coordinator at Southern Pines.

Many foster programs provide you with the supplies you need including food, medicines, leashes and bowls to assist in the care of the animal. As a foster family, transportation to adoption events and visits for vaccinations and other medical needs is expected. In an effort to help families succeed in fostering, the family’s preferences are discussed with the shelter, including what type and number of animals you would like to foster.  

“We will discuss with families their lifestyles and time commitment, to determine best fits for the family,” Smith said. “If at any time the fit is not right, families are welcome to return the animal or animals back to the shelter with the goal to strive for family comfort during the fostering experience.”

Fostering benefits pets and families alike, and the need is neverending. If you are interested in fostering, an application is available on the Southern Pines website. You can also check out your local animal shelter for details on its adoption process. If fostering is not right for your family at this time, then you can support these programs through volunteering or financial support instead.

Alicia Stevens, a resident of Pearl River County, is a freelance writer, wife and mother of two who enjoys traveling with her family and friends.

For more information in the Hattiesburg area, visit southernpinesanimalshelter.org  

In the Oxford area, visit Mississippi Critterz at mscritterz.com

In the Tupelo area, visit Tupelo-Lee Humane Society at tupeloleehumane.org

In the Clinton area, google “Be a Foster Home Volunteer | CARA – Community Animal Rescue and Adoptions Mississippi” for more information.

Become a Foster Parent... to a Dog or Cat! - Parents & Kids (parentsandkids.com)