Foster Volunteers

Whether they’re bottle feeding baby kittens, teaching shy dogs that humans can be trusted, or just giving an animal a quiet place to rest and recover, fosters are indispensable to our organization.
It takes a big heart to foster, but the work is lifesaving and lifechanging. Do you think you could open your home and heart to a vulnerable pet?

There are many reasons a pet may need a foster home:

Underage: Puppies and kittens are not ready to be adopted until they’re at least eight weeks old.

Sick/Injured: Foster homes are a great place for our sick or injured animals to heal.

Behavior/Socialization: With people and animals constantly coming and going, a shelter can be overwhelming for some animals. They might need a home environment or some one-on-one attention.

Essential Capabilities for Fosters

• Be at least 18 years old. If you are under 18, you must have your parent or guardian complete the foster application and all program requirements.
• A safe, loving environment for feeding, care, and socialization.
• A room (or space) to keep foster animals separate from resident animals.
• Transportation to and from HSSC for vaccines and medical check-ups. We will make every effort to ensure your foster pet’s check-ups fit your schedule.
• Willingness to follow all guidelines on feeding and medicating your foster pet, as provided by HSSC staff.
• Alert staff about any medical or behavioral changes in your foster pets. Any information about the pet will be helpful in finding a permanent home for the animal.
• You do not need to be an HSSC volunteer to foster, but you are welcome to do both. Learn more about volunteering here.
• We frequently have to place foster animals quickly—usually within 48 hours—so please be aware of the time commitment and accessibility required to be a Foster Volunteer.