We have said it once, and we will say it a million more times. Fosters are superheroes! June is National “Foster a Pet” month, and at Furkids our fosters make all the difference for hundreds of cats and dogs every single day.

Why is Fostering So Important?

Fostering is among the most important work at Furkids Animal Rescue, and we are always looking for more foster families to join our team. Want to learn how to care for bottle baby kittens? Or perhaps a senior dog who needs more socialization? Furkids can show you how!

Shelters all around the country are facing overpopulation issues as we are all in the midst of puppy and kitten season. As of June 2024, Furkids currently has 1,100 animals in our care - and almost half of that number are currently in our foster program. Fosters alleviate overcrowded shelters, reducing the stress of both the animals at the shelter and the staff & volunteers who care for them.

By allowing shelters to make room for more animals, fosters practically save two lives at once. For every animal in a foster home, that's one more spot in a shelter that can go to an animal who needs our life saving care. Without our fosters, the number of animals we can say “yes” to rescuing drastically decreases.

How Does Fostering Help Animals Get Adopted?

Fosters provide a unique level of care that isn’t possible in any other way. Cats and dogs receive individual attention and socialization which drastically improves their odds of finding a forever home. 

When animals are able to decompress in a loving environment, their true personalities show through. We learn more about them - and can better connect them with adopters. Foster animals are also sometimes able to be socialized with other pets in the home, and many adopters are looking to adopt a cat or dog who will get along with their current pets. Animals under less stress are less likely to become ill or develop behavior issues.

If the foster is okay with it, having adopters see the animal in a calm foster home setting is also a great way for a successful meet and greet. When potential adopters can see an animal living in a foster home, it is easier for them to picture what their future with that animal will look like!

Fostering Saves Lives!

Many of the animals that come to Furkids are in need of medical attention. Animals that are sick, injured, or recovering from surgery often need a quiet and safe place to heal. When fragile bottle baby kittens come to Furkids, they need a foster who knows how to care for them!

One poor cat that came to Furkids in critical condition is Sarafina. Sarafina was found with multiple fractures and dislocated hips before she was brought to us. She was less than two and a half pounds at five months old. While we were assessing her medical needs, she lived with a foster as she was healing physically and emotionally. 

Sarafina’s foster stated “Sarafina is the snuggliest cat I have ever had. We have our morning routine where she hugs my neck for 20 minutes before I can start my day. She is precious and so so thankful. Fostering not only allowed Sarafina to recover almost completely, it allowed her to learn to trust humans. The foster program saved Sarafina’s life.

The Fosters Benefit As Well 

Families and individuals also reap the benefits from fostering - companionship, emotional fulfillment, and a sense of community. Families, especially children, can learn so much about responsibility and empathy when they provide temporary homes to pets in need. Fostering is a great option for those who love animals but might not be ready to adopt, and fostering can often act as a trial run to see what fits your lifestyle when or if you end up adopting down the line.

Furkids foster Kristi Hoffman stated “I have been fostering for a little over a year and have fostered 45 cats during that time. I focus on pregnant cats or moms with little kittens. My husband and I work full-time so having the mom cat around to help take care of the kittens is an ideal situation for us. I started fostering after seeing so many cats at our county shelter at risk due to overcrowding. I wanted to help provide a safe space for these kittens to grow until they reached adoption age. It’s been a really rewarding experience to save lives and has also been a great learning experience. In addition, I’ve made great friends with other fosters as well as the adopters of the cats I’ve fostered.”

When you join Furkids as a foster, you're a part of something bigger. You are part of the mission to help rescue and save our communities most at risk animals.
 

Interested in Becoming A Furkids Foster?

So, you’re interested in fostering, what are the next steps? Visit https://furkids.org/volunteer/foster/ to learn more about our foster program and complete a dog or cat foster application!

Once you complete the form, our foster coordinators will be in touch to walk you through the entire process and answer any questions you may have. Furkids provides all the supplies and necessities you may need - all we need from you is a clean, loving, and safe environment. 

Not ready to take the leap yet? There’s still tons of ways you can lend a helping hand.

• Donate: You can either donate to our operation costs, or to our capital campaign! We are in the process of raising funds for our brand new dog shelter! A generous donor has agreed to match donations up to ONE MILLION DOLLARS, meaning your donation will be doubled dollar for dollar up to $1,000,000! Our new dog shelter will allow us to accommodate 115 dogs, which is double our current capacity and double our lifesaving capabilities.

Donate to our future dog shelter: https://furkids.org/destination-furkids-donate/

Help us save more animal lives: https://furkids.org/donation

Volunteer: There are TONS of different opportunities for all ages. Learn more about volunteering with Furkids and complete a volunteer application at https://furkids.org/volunteer/.

• Spread the word: We are active on Facebook (“Furkids Animal Rescue and Shelters”, Instagram (@furkidsatlanta), and Tiktok (@furkidsatlanta). Spread the word about fostering and volunteer opportunities. Share our posts with your friends and family - you never know who may be out there looking for their new best friend!