June is Foster A Pet Month! While this is always a great thing to do, many shelters are finding that they have an increased need for foster help this year. Is fostering right for you? A local Eau Claire, WI vet lists a few things to consider in this article.
A Helping Hand
Fostering pets is a small thing that you can do which can have a huge impact on both your life and the pet’s life. It’s also a wonderful way to help support your local community. Plus, if you are stuck at home a lot, it’s a great way to make the most of your time! If you have children at home, this can also be a great learning experience for them.
Why Fosters Are Needed
There are many different reasons for pets to need fostering. Puppies and kittens may need overnight care, socialization, and/or training. Pets may also be recuperating from illness or injury. In other cases, pets may need a temporary home while their humans are ill, working long hours, or deployed. Or, shelters simply may not have the space to care for all of the animals they rescue. For example, many shelters that don’t have actual building rely on fosters to help care for their furry charges.
Things To Consider
There are some things to think about before signing on to foster a pet. Consider your household, budget, and schedule, as well as your family members and other pets. Also, ask yourself if you and your family will be able to say goodbye when the time comes. If fostering doesn’t seem like a good fit, consider helping in other ways. You can also help homeless animals through donations, volunteering (where possible), or even just by spreading the word.
Getting Started
Does fostering sounds like it may be a good match for you? That’s great! Reach out to local shelters and charities, and find out what the next steps are. You may also want to start doing some petproofing. The exact steps you should take will depend on what animal you get, but you can get started with some basics. Remove or secure things like toxic plants, plastic bags and ties, wires and cords, and small or sharp objects.
Please contact us, your local Eau Claire, WI vet clinic, for all of your cat’s veterinary care needs. We are here to help!
