About Being a Foster Pet Parent
Common Reasons Dogs, Cats, Kittens and Puppies are in Need of Foster Care:
The Somerset-Pulaski County Humane Society works with local animal control officers, our local and neighboring county shelters, and local pleas from social media to help rehome local pets in need. Since all of our pets are in foster homes, THEY NEED YOU to step up and give them a home while the perfect forever home can be found for them.
- Some are too young or underweight to be placed up for adoption. Some are too old or have a medical condition that makes permanent placement difficult
- They need time to heal from an injury or illness before they can be eligible for adoption.
- A female dog or cat and her nursing pups/kittens may need a quiet home environment where they can feel safe and receive proper socialization.
- They may need to be altered before being eligible for adoption. They may need additional socialization or may need medication for a period of time before being placed up for adoption.
Expected Duties as a Foster Parent:
- Provide daily care and feeding (food is provided by SPCHS) Socializing your foster dog/cat/puppy/kitten and giving him or her plenty of TLC!
- Provide transportation to and from veterinary appointments
- Attending adoption events (when possible) Attending training classes (when necessary)
- Being committed! These puppies/dogs/cats/kittens will rely on you while in your care until they are ready to be placed for adoption. You could have a foster for a few weeks or several months or even a year or more.
Our fosters are the key to our success, so we make every effort to be available for questions or tips! It's extremely important to communicate well with adoption coordinators and potential adopters.
Qualifications for becoming a foster pet parent:
In order to ensure that your foster animal receives the care he or she needs, SPCHS asks that you meet the following criteria:
- Foster pet parents must be at least 18 years old
- Foster pet parents MUST have a securely fenced yard
- Have a basic knowledge of canine/feline care and behavior
- Have a safe, secure space inside your home to house the foster dog/puppy/cat/kitten, as being an INDOOR pet is required.
- Have a flexible schedule to allow for veterinary exams and vaccinations, as well as any emergencies that may occur.
- Fosters should not be away from the home for more than 6 hours at a time.
- Puppies require more attention so time away varies according to age.
- Driver’s license and reliable transportation, and the commitment to take foster pets to/from veterinary appointments, meet potential adopters, and/or adoption events
- Commitment to time and effort in socializing, training, and exercising your foster dog as well as providing ongoing input to the PCHS Adoption/Foster Coordinator on any behavior changes or health issues Ongoing communication with foster team providing updated photographs and biographies about your foster pet while it is in your home. Rewards and
Challenges of being a Foster Pet Parent
Fostering is not always an easy job; it can be challenging and exhausting. It can also be painful to say goodbye to a foster animal when he or she is ready for adoption. However; fostering can be the most rewarding and fulfilling thing a true pet lover will ever do to support our canine and feline guests!
Ultimately you can reassure yourself by knowing that the pet is going to a good home, and that you were an integral part of making that happen. Essentially, you saved a pet’s life! Are you up for it?
If you are... then click the button near the top right of this page to complete a Foster Application today! It will only take a few minutes to apply, and will be a very rewarding, very challenging adventure!
We have several foster programs to choose from -- scroll down to learn about them!
Scroll down to view just SOME of the pets that need a foster home. If you don't see one that you'd like to foster, just click the button below, and we will be in touch to learn more about the type of pet you would like to help... because there are many, MANY that we have to turn away due to not having a place for them to go. If YOUR home were an option, that would be one more life we could help to save...together!
Learn More
Being a foster pet parent is challenging and rewarding! We have several different programs, suitable for folks from all walks of life to participate! Click the button below to learn about them!
Our Foster Programs
Hoteling
Regular & Foster Pet Parents
Regular & Foster Pet Parents
This is a GREAT way to sort of “try out” being a foster pet parent! Sometimes, we don’t have a foster home immediately available for a pet that is in desperate need. That’s where our “hoteling” fosters come in! Hoteling Fosters will pick up and care for an animal for anywhere from a few hours to several days, depending on the situation.
Regular & Foster Pet Parents
Regular & Foster Pet Parents
Regular & Foster Pet Parents
There is nothing regular or ordinary about being a "regular" foster pet parent. Our "regular" fosters have learned to expect the unexpected; they are diligent and vigilant in caring for their foster animals. Some pets just walk into a family and "fit". Some, well... not so much. Our regular fosters understand the "rule of 3's":
- 3 days for the new pet to realize he/she is staying in this place
- 3 weeks to learn your routine and start to learn your behavior expectations
- 3 months to decide "this is home"
Not all foster pets are in foster care for as many as 3 months...some find their forever homes in a matter of a few weeks, but some can take several months or even a year or more. Being an SPCHS "regular foster" means that your foster animal becomes part of your family until the right adopter is found, and working with your foster pet to help them learn what it means to have a loving home.
Soft Landings Fosters
Regular & Foster Pet Parents
Soft Landings Fosters
Our Soft Landings program provides short-term foster care for pets that might otherwise have to be surrendered, or might prevent their human from getting the help they need. Soft Landings is inteneded to help victims of domestic violence, people going to rehabilitation, or folks requiring medical treatment from which they are expected to recover. SPCHS will provide food, veterinary care, and a loving home for a up to 90 days, allowing the human to get back on their feet. Of course, this care is provided free of charge to the pet's owner. Once their lives have stabilized, the pet is returned and they can live happily ever after!
Foster to Adopt
Silver Hearts for Silver Paws
Soft Landings Fosters
Sometimes, a pet appears to be a pretty good fit for your home. You’ve done all the right things, like ask about personality quirks, even did a meet and greet with your pet or a slumber party weekend visit...but still, you’re not 100% certain that this is the right pet for your family. We have a solution -- Foster-to-Adopt! There is a small non-refundable fee for this option, and you will be required to bring the pet to adoption events until you make the final decision to adopt him or her. You’ll also be responsible for food and toys while the animal is in your care, but we will pick up the cost of any vet bills until you choose to adopt. Once you decide that this is the RIGHT pet for your family, standard adoption practices and fees apply. Should you choose NOT to adopt this pet, NO PROBLEM! Just continue to foster him or her until a furever home can be found. Then, you can choose to Foster-to-Adopt another (the fee will be applied to your new foster), or just foster another.
Silver Hearts for Silver Paws
Silver Hearts for Silver Paws
Silver Hearts for Silver Paws
Silver Paws and Silver Hearts is our foster program for senior or chronically ill pets to be paired with Senior (age 55+) humans. This is a PERMANENT foster program. Animals in this program will be with their foster parents for the rest of the pet’s life, and SPCHS will pay all costs for this animal during that time. It is ideal for folks that would like to adopt, but are concerned about the cost of adopting a senior pet, or are concerned they will not be able to part with their ward if the perfect forever home comes along. This program is also open to people under 55 years of age provided that they will give a senior or hospice pet the love and care for it for the rest of its life.
There are some special requirements to become a “Silver Heart”, so please click the button below to learn more.
These pets NEED foster homes!
Morgana
Morgana
Morgana
Morgana and Luna belonged to a gentleman that recently died.
We are trying to place them quickly.
Morgana is two years old, spayed; she will be brought up to date on vaccines as soon as we have a place for her to go. Morgana and Luna are not bonded, so can be placed in separate homes.
Luna
Morgana
Morgana
Morgana and Luna belonged to a gentleman that recently died.
We are trying to place them quickly.
Luna is four years old, spayed; she will be brought up to date on vaccines as soon as we have a place for her to go. Luna and Morgana are not bonded, so can be placed in separate homes.
These senior pets need loving foster and/or furever homes...
Sofie
Sylvester **Adoption Pending**
Sylvester **Adoption Pending**
Sofie is a sweet loving girl who is now 7 years old and was just 'put outside'. The reason given by her former owner was "Because she's older and I don't want her anymore!"
She is spayed, will be brought up to date on her shots very soon. She is a sturdy girl and a lovely dark Tortie in colors.
Currently in a home with other cats; don'
Sofie is a sweet loving girl who is now 7 years old and was just 'put outside'. The reason given by her former owner was "Because she's older and I don't want her anymore!"
She is spayed, will be brought up to date on her shots very soon. She is a sturdy girl and a lovely dark Tortie in colors.
Currently in a home with other cats; don't think she's had exposure to dogs. Sofie needs to be ONLY cat in her new home, as she is very shy.
Sofie is eligible to be a "Silver Paws" pet.
Sylvester **Adoption Pending**
Sylvester **Adoption Pending**
Sylvester **Adoption Pending**
Sylvester and his adopted sister Sadie belong to a couple whose health and eyesight are failing, causing them to trip over the kitties and have difficulty physically caring for them.
Sylvester is 8 years old, has been altered, is UTD on vaccines and has always been an indoor-only kitty -- and needs to continue to be an indoor-only kitty. H
Sylvester and his adopted sister Sadie belong to a couple whose health and eyesight are failing, causing them to trip over the kitties and have difficulty physically caring for them.
Sylvester is 8 years old, has been altered, is UTD on vaccines and has always been an indoor-only kitty -- and needs to continue to be an indoor-only kitty. He is well mannered and litter trained etc.
Sylvester and Sadie get along well but do not have to be adopted together.
Sadie is Eligible to be a "Silver Paws" Pet.
Sadie **Adoption Pending**
Sylvester **Adoption Pending**
Sadie **Adoption Pending**
Sadie and her adopted brother Sylvester belong to a couple whose health and eyesight are failing, causing them to trip over the kitties and have difficulty physically caring for them.
Sadie is 6 years old (a bit young to be a silver paw, but since her owners are senior, she qualifies). She has been altered, is UTD on vaccines and has al
Sadie and her adopted brother Sylvester belong to a couple whose health and eyesight are failing, causing them to trip over the kitties and have difficulty physically caring for them.
Sadie is 6 years old (a bit young to be a silver paw, but since her owners are senior, she qualifies). She has been altered, is UTD on vaccines and has always been an indoor-only kitty -- and needs to continue to be an indoor-only kitty. Sadie is well mannered and litter trained.
Sylvester and Sadie get along well but do not have to be adopted together.
Sadie is Eligible to be a "Silver Paws" Pet.