Hope for Homeless Animals

So you’re an animal lover, and you want to do your bit to help animal welfare, but don’t know how to help, read on …

CONCEPT

Fostering domestic animals is a relatively new concept in South Africa, whereas it has been in practice for a number of years in Britain and other countries.

The purpose of fostering domestic animals is chiefly to keep unwanted animals out of welfare shelters (specifically shelters that euthanize animals after a specified time frame) until the right home is found for the animal.  These animals are predominantly from people giving up their animals for a number of reasons, i.e., divorce, emigration, allergies to animals, downsizing or animals abandoned at vets rooms and kennels or strays.  Some dogs are thoroughbreds, others cross-breeds, however, they all have the same common denominator, they all need a good loving permanent home.

Many dogs and cats need temporary accommodation and care whilst seeking a new home and family, whilst many welfare shelters operate for this purpose, most are over-crowded and unable to cope or provide a stress-free environment and can only offer kennels and cages to house the animal during this period.  Foster care provides the perfect answer to this burgeoning problem in a normal family environment.

FOSTERING PERIOD

There is no prescribed period or hard and fast rules.  Sometimes the fostering period is relatively short, maybe one or two weeks, however, it can stretch for several months depending upon a number of factors.  These factors can include the animal in question’s manner, demeanor, age, and adaptability.

Personally, the shortest period that I had a foster dog was for 2 hours!  Whereas I have fostered several dogs for several months on a number of occasions, however in saying this, none of these dogs were perceived to be problem or special needs dogs.    It also depends upon the availability of good homes at the time.

CRITERIA FOR FOSTERING

Certain dogs are “special needs cases”, they don’t all get along with other dogs, or perhaps have never seen a cat before, or even encountered children or domestic workers.

The foster home needs to be very specific with regards to the criteria they set for accepting foster animals.

The welfare organization arranging the foster animal will require all information pertaining to children and animals within your home in order to place suitable foster animals within your care, taking your individual situation into account and assuring the safety and happiness of all concerned.

You may specify to the organization whether you want to foster only small or large dogs/, male or female or only a specific breed or puppy or kitten or adult cat.

RESPONSIBILITIES OF THE WELFARE ORGANISATION

It is the responsibility of the welfare organization arranging the foster to find a permanent home for the foster animal.

You should only agree to accept foster animals that have been vaccinated, dewormed and tick and flea preventative measures administered.  This will ensure that your home and animals remain healthy and pest free.

The welfare organization and the foster home need to reach consensus and agreement on who is responsible for any financial expenses incurred by the foster animal whilst in your foster care and advise whether they will supply food, pest control and veterinary treatment.  Some smaller organizations simply cannot provide financial assistance for foster animals.  It is vital that this is agreed upon before the foster home accepts an animal into their care.

RESPONSIBILITY OF THE FOSTER HOME

As the foster parent/s it is your responsibility to inform the Welfare Organisation of any illness, veterinary treatment or problems that the animal may encounter whilst in your care.

It is the foster home’s responsibility to ensure that the foster animal is fed, secure, has adequate shelter, and will receive veterinary treatment should a situation warrant such from either illness or injury.

Should you find that the animal is not adapting to your circumstances within your home, then it is your responsibility to advise the welfare organization so that alternative measures can be taken.

It is the foster home’s responsibility to ensure that all their existing animals are vaccinated against disease and that suitable pest control against ticks and fleas be administered and regularly dewormed as preventative measures.

It is also the foster home’s responsibility to ensure that the foster animal is well cared for and secure within the properties perimeters and not running in the street.

PROS AND CONS OF FOSTERING

The joys of being a foster parent/home are many, and more importantly, extremely beneficial to determining the needs of the foster animal when finding the correct home/family, this is especially the case when the animal is a stray or very little is known about the animal’s nature, background and requirements.

There is a home for every animal, it just takes time to find the right home as opposed to a home.

PROS OF FOSTERING DOMESTIC ANIMALS

There is nothing more heart-warming than to eventually see a dog or cat go to its’ new home.  Knowing that this animal will receive love, kindness and understanding is so rewarding.

• Often people that are on “contract” in the country yearn for a animal, but realistically owning a permanent animal cannot be realized.  This is a fantastic opportunity for people to foster, thus affording the family protection and companionship, albeit a temporary arrangement for both parties.

• The assessment that the foster family are able to provide is invaluable to the organization who’s responsibility it is to re-home the animal.

In this respect, foster homes are crucial to the healing process, helping the animal to realize its potential, and the rehabilitation period begins at the foster home.  Many of these traumatized animals would not cope well in a welfare shelter or kenneling environment.  The family environment and unit encompasses the animal and the dog learns to adapt to a normal lifestyle.  A fixed routine goes a long way in helping traumatized dogs and cats to cope, much like children cope better in a routine environment.

This way the animal is then better adapted to cope within it s new permanent home.

CONS OF FOSTERING DOMESTIC ANIMALS

• It can become difficult to part with a foster animal, becoming extremely attached to the animal.  Many first time foster families end up keeping their first foster!  I’ve yet to find a foster home that hasn’t kept at least one charge!

• Bringing a foster animal into the home may upset your own animals, generally this only lasts for a few days, but it can be disruptive.

• Some foster animals can have behavioral problems that may not initially be apparent which may make it difficult to cope with the animal.

• Giving up an animal that has shared your home for a number of weeks or months can be upsetting and many people are loath to let the animal go to its new home.  You need to be firm from the outset in understanding that you are assisting the foster animal in its transition to its new home.

NEVER ENOUGH

Rescue Organisations in South Africa are always on the lookout for foster homes, partly because of the scarcity of resources to look after the large numbers of animals being abandoned or neglected in this country. Right now, there can never be enough. Contact one of the organisations on the Hopeful List to find out how you can help if you have the space and the willingness:

The Hopeful Homers List: http://hopeful.ws/homeless/misc.php?action=list

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Tags: animal care

This entry was posted by Derek on Sunday, August 2nd, 2009 at 11:36 pm and is filed under animal welfare. You can follow any responses to this entry through the RSS 2.0 feed. You can leave a response, or trackback from your own site.