Where to Get Foster Animals!

A good place to get foster cats in Hyde Park with Hyde Park Cats

Other places you can foster animals are:

Paw print Animal Welfare League
Paw printAnti-Cruelty Society
Paw print Lake Shore Animal Shelter
Paw print PAWS Chicago

You do get somewhat of a choice when you volunteer to foster an animal. One thing to consider when deciding what type of animal to foster is the age of the animal. Many puppies and kittens are snapped up in foster care, but the older or sick animals deserve a good family too. Aim for an older animal or one that really needs a home.

Why you should Foster animals

The experience of fostering an animal is rewarding and it helps socialize the animal and gives it more attention and a loving home. Fostering allows people to get a better idea of the animal's personality and whether the animal is a people person, shy, or likes other animals. This can help place the animal in a permanent family that fits it. In some shelters, if animals are unable to be housed in fostering or in the shelter they could be put to sleep. Fostering can save an animal's life. Also, while fostering you can explore the type of animal that best fits you, and can influence your decision when or if you decide to adopt an animal later on. There are a variety of reasons that an animal would be put into foster care.

The Main Reasons usually are:

1. Limited shelter space- especially in our area, there are is very very limited shelter space so a good way for animals not to be over-crowded or to be put down. You can foster an animal until space opens up the shelter or the animal is chosen to be adopted 2. For special care after treatment or illness- if an animal is ill or injury unable to be adopted because they are still on medication or need time to recover from emotional stress or from bad treatment to adjust better to humans 3. Extremely young animals- if an animal is too young to be adopted and needs more attention than the usual animal are put into foster care. Foster families allows for more specialized care and more frequent care. Without fostering many animals would be euthanized. It is a good way for college students to basically have a pet, but only for a couple months so it allows for a flexible schedule and for travel between quarters

What to Expect in Fostering

When you are fostering an animal you have to remember that the animal that you are taking care of is not yours. Especially if this is your first time fostering. In many cases, people adopt their animals because they get attached. Not that this bad, but make sure if you make the switch from fostering to adoption that you are able to care for an animal full time. It can be harmful if the animal's home is unstable and it is better that they go to a different home then stay with you.

Here is the Anti-Cruelty Society Fostering Manual

Manual This answers many of the questions that you may have, and provides a good guide to fostering! If you have any other questions, please contact us!