Fostering a shelter pet can be an incredibly valuable and rewarding experience both for the animal and the foster volunteer. No experience is necessary to become a foster care volunteer. There are multiple types of foster situations ranging from orphaned animals who must be bottle fed to adult pets who are recovering from surgeries, and you will have the opportunity to work with our team to determine which types of foster situations fit your lifestyle.

To make your foster experience as rewarding as possible, we will provide you with a starter kit of supplies, all required medications, relevant training, and on-call assistance. Medical treatment for foster animals is provided free of cost, so there is no expense to the foster volunteer.

If you are interested in fostering a shelter pet from Precious Paws, please complete and submit the Foster Care application. A staff member will contact you to discuss foster opportunities with you in greater detail.

Why foster?

A foster home provides shelter, food, care, and A LOT of love to animals that will flourish with a little extra attention. It is a great opportunity for you to share your home with an animal in need, without the lifetime commitment that adopting a pet takes. If you have children, it is a great way to teach them compassion and responsibility by caring for a homeless animal. 

Fostering saves lives. Whether you volunteer to care for a litter of orphaned kittens or give an adult dog a break from the kennel, you are making a difference in life of an animal in need. Fostering fills a critical gap. Young kittens need more care can be provided in the shelter environment. Scientific studies have shown that adult animals are adopted more quickly after a break from the shelter. 

Whom can you help?

• Kittens: Orphans who need round-the-clock care and bottle feeding until old enough to eat on their own, or those who are not yet old enough for adoption.
• Puppies: Little ones who need socialization and some basic manners training to ready them for adoption.
• Mamas: Care for a pregnant or nursing animal while she cares for her babies.
• Dogs: Who have been waiting for a home for awhile, who need help with training, or who don’t like kennels
  Animals who have medical or behavior needs best cared for in a home, outside of the shelter.
  
• Senior Cats: Older animals that would like a home to call their own as the shelter is high stress for them.

Who can foster?

Whether you are a grad student, retired, single, in a family, a couple, or roommates, as long as you can make a commitment to temporarily care for animals and have a household suitable, we would love to talk to you about becoming a Foster Parent.

To foster, you must be at least 18 years old, all your own animals must be sterilized and up-to-date on vaccinations, and you must have experience with the type of animals you want to foster. If you lease/rent, landlord approval is required prior to fostering a pet.

What's involved?

Fostering can last from a few days to several months depending on the needs of the animals and your availability. Extra training is provided for unique circumstances, and medical assistance and questions are handled quickly. All veterinary care, food and animal supplies are provided by Precious Paws.

Our foster program is one of the most powerful tools we have to save animal lives. We are always in need of people who can take cats, kittens, dogs or puppies. We will provide the tools you need to succeed, including all medical care. You just provide the love! 

Click the link below to fill out a Foster application.