OUR MISSION:
The APS-FH Foster Pet Program’s mission is to reduce the number of animals in our shelter and increase successful outcomes for more animals in our community.
BENEFITS:
– Provide safety and comfort for neonates, nursing moms, sick or injured pets in need of healing, pets with medical
needs, animals who have been in the shelter for an extended period, or those benefitting from more focused
support.
– Community engagement by providing in-home care for our animals who may have lost their owners for medical
reasons, housing crisis, or even death.
– Decreased workload for staff members and facility.
– Fostering offers alternative housing arrangements for pets not showing well in a shelter environment, such as
reactive or shy animals, and the prevention of the development of problematic “kennel behaviors”.
Thank you so much for your willingness to foster shelter pets for APS-FH. By opening up your home to foster animals, you’re not only helping to save lives, but you’re also providing the individual attention, love and support that these pets desperately need to prepare them for their forever home.
Although fostering is a lot of work, it is a very rewarding experience. By participating in this program, you are helping animals in need find the loving homes they deserve.
APS-FH will provide you with any basic care supplies that you will need for the foster care period.
It’s important to understand that fostering shelter animals are very different than parenting your own pet. The goal is not only keeping your foster pet loved, safe and free of the stress that many animals endure in a shelter environment, you are preparing them to be medically, socially, and behaviorally ready for productive introductions and potential adoptions with their new family. Training, feeding, and care guidelines are specific to the pet you are caring for, and have been created by our animal care team, medical care supervisor, and canine behavioralist.
Though the animal is in your home and under your daily care, the animal is considered the legal responsibility and property of APS-FH. With this in mind, we have created a program that focuses on reducing risk not only for the pet, but for you the foster pet parent, our shelter, and our community.
In addition to the Foster Care Program listed above, APS-FH also offers a Foster with Intent to Adopt program. This program is designed to place animals in pre-approved homes as a trial period to determine if it is an appropriate fit for both the person and the animal. Please call the shelter at (360) 378-2158 or email us at shelter@apsfh.com if you are interested in more information or if this program is a fit for you.