On
subsequent pages you will find definitions that may assist you in understanding
FOSTER_PET services better as well as what resources are best for the owner and
might best be provided by prospective Foster Parents. .
Pet owners
are people with the desire as well as the legal and moral obligation to care
for a pet. Most states consider a Pet to be the property of the owner. Owners,
and people close to them, should plan ahead should there be any likelihood that
someday they might need foster care. Most civilians don't like to think about
the situations that might render them incapable to caring for a pet. Don't
think of the likelihood, which is hopefully very small, but think of the
magnitude of regret that might be caused by not making preparation. If at all
possible, arrange for family or friends to care for your pet. When leaving your
pet with family or friends, it's a good idea to create a foster care agreement.
Having a written agreement will help protect your pet and provide you with the
security of knowing your chosen caretaker has the legal right to care for your
pet in your absence. Sample forms are available from the Humane Society of the
United States (HSUS) www.hsus.org for dogs and cats. The checklist on this
website is a good source of ideas you should consider in addition to the basic
information covered in HSUS's agreements.
People in
the military must recognize the nature of their service commitment means that
they may need foster care and they should plan ahead. Single solders sailors
and military families are encouraged to work hard to retain pets and to seek
options other than relinquishing these beloved pets to shelters. It adds to the
system taking up resources that could save the lives of pets that strayed from
home or were taken from unfit masters. Protect your pet and others by simply
making prior arrangements for your pets in case you are deployed.
As part of
the Vetting[1]
be sure to complete a cat or dog personality profile to help your temporary
caregiver understand your pet's needs. You should also
If you are
unable to arrange care for your pet and need assistance, contact your local
animal shelter or breed-placement group. In addition, if you or your pet's
caregivers are having trouble affording veterinary care, food, or other
supplies, please contact your local animal shelter to see if it has an
assistance program.
Foster
Parents are willing to provide temporary care for a pet until the owner is able
to care for it again.
Foster
Animal's is one whose owner is temporarily unable to care for it. The owner of
a foster animal wants to take the animal back as soon as possible and care for
it again.
This is NOT a program to watch
pets for people going on vacation. It is to support people in a crisis or
emergency situation.
The most
common need is for dogs and cats. But people also care for all manner of
animals, birds, fish, and reptiles. These other animals are often referred to
as exotics. This program hopes to enlist the aid of people familiar with exotic
species too. People unfamiliar with exotics must realize that in addition to
simply caring for them there are procedures for integrating into a new
environment because there are fewer vaccines should they be ill, they may need
to maintain temperature or slow adjust to a new temperature and so on.
No kill
shelters agree to either find homes for the animals or keep them indefinitely.
All other
shelters accept pets and look for suitable homes, if one is not found the
animal will be destroyed.
Animals that
stray, or who taken from unsuitable (often-cruel) owners, are often referred to
as rescue animals, often wind up in animal shelters.
Sometimes
owners surrender animals to a shelter. Usually the owner does not intend to
regain ownership of the animal that has `given' it to the Shelter.
Associates
are people who recognize the value the program offers the community and they
would like to support the program but are not able to do so as a Foster Parent.
The first
class of Associate might be people who love animals but who would be Foster
Parents if they had a place to properly care for an animal. Apartment dwellers,
people in assisted living, are the two groups of people that come to mind who
might make great Associates.
If an
associate can write, they could help publicize FOSTER_PET. Writers could assist
by preparing talks, press releases, and newsletters.
If an
associate can speak, they could work to educate their community regarding the
positive benefits of a Foster Pet Project.
If an
associate likes to organize things, development of a speaker's bureau is an
example of what might become a supportive activity for FOSTER_PET.
Associates
are encouraged volunteer to run the FOSTER_PET Chats in areas that interest
them. Cat lovers schedule a chat for other cat lovers. Fish and reptile people
should find a time for to discuss their interests too.
[1] Vetting is the action or process of ensuring that a person or thing is properly represented; esp. the investigation of a person's background and credentials to determine competence loyalty or trustworthiness.