Foster a Shelter Animal
The primary purpose of foster care is to provide temporary homes for animals whose medical or behavioral conditions are not manageable in the shelter setting. Like adoption, fostering saves lives. It helps us to alleviate overcrowding in the shelter, while also allowing some of our more sensitive animals a break from the stressful shelter environment, which can cause even the sweetest of pets to become depressed and withdrawn over time.
At Women's Animal Center, foster care is primarily needed to assist us during the more difficult warm weather months - typically from mid-spring through mid-fall - when our shelter is at capacity with cats and kittens. During this time, we more actively seek foster care for nursing kittens too young for adoption or less socialized kitten residents.
Fostering a shelter animal is a wonderfully rewarding experience but is also a serious commitment requiring an investment of time, money, and work. In addition to caregiver training, Women's Animal Center supplies kitten foster providers with starter kits that include food, toys, heating pads, and other supplies and basic necessities needed while their foster pet is under their care. Foster providers may incur additional financial responsibilities for supplies needed outside of the provided starter kit. Women’s Animal Center also works with caregivers to plan and schedule appropriate medical care but foster providers are responsible for bringing the animal back to our shelter for all treatments.
The ideal foster care provider will have basic knowledge of animal care; a safe place to contain his or her foster pet away from resident animals; and a desire to assist Women's Animal Center in finding their foster animal a permanent adoptive home. Fostering is a temporary commitment, but a lifesaving one. If you would like to become involved in our Foster Program, please complete our online application below.
*At this time, Women’s Animal Center is only accepting applications for kitten fostering. Fostering of other animals will begin at a future date.*
Can’t foster, but want to help? You can support our fosters by donating supplies needed for their care. Here is a link to our Chewy wish list.
Additionally, you can provide a monetary donation that will go towards the purchase of foster supplies.
Foster providers are responsible for providing a safe and loving environment where the animals can be fed, cared for, and socialized. You’ll need to be able to provide a separate room or space from any resident animals as well as transportation to and from Women’s Animal Center for necessary medical treatment. Additionally, foster providers must live in Pennsylvania within a 20 mile radius of WAC.
Foster providers are needed for animals unable to go up for adoption just yet or who may need a break from the shelter environment. This could be because they are underage, under-socialized, over-stimulated, or due to lack of space in the shelter. The highest need for foster providers is for bottle-fed kittens, a delicate age needing round-the-clock care.
Yes! Women’s Animal Center will provide you with everything you need to know, walking you through the process and providing support along the way. Resources will be provided to you through in-person and virtual trainings as well as an online support group you can tap into at any time. Our staff is always ready to answer any questions that may arise.
For kitten fosters, Women’s Animal Center will provide food, feeding supplies such as nipples and syringes, blankets, towels, and toys. You will need to provide a safe and comfortable location in your home for the animals to reside. Any unused supplies must be returned to Women’s Animal Center at the completion of your foster period. Vaccinations and medications will be provided by Women’s Animal Center.
The supplies included in the kitten foster starter kits are compiled from donations generously provided from the public and local corporations. Foster providers may be required to purchase additional supplies if donations are not available to distribute.
The help of our foster providers in finding homes for our animals is always appreciated. If you know someone interested in adopting an animal you are fostering, please let the adoption staff know. They can then coordinate with the adopter to process the adoption. If you experience a “foster fail” and would like to give your foster a forever home, that is great! Again, just let the adoption staff know so they can work with you to process the adoption and make it official!
The time commitment to foster kittens can vary depending on the age of the kittens and their health. Neonates/bottle fed kittens require the most time commitment, needing foster care from 4-6 weeks, requiring up to 8 hours daily. Kittens that are weaned can be anywhere from 1-4 weeks, with 4-6 hours of daily care. Under socialized kittens could need care for 2-6 weeks, with 2-6 hours of daily care.
We cannot guarantee the age or quantity of kittens that may need fosters, but we’ll do our best to match you with animals that meet your preferences and abilities.
You can help support our foster kittens by donating supplies needed for their care. Here is a link to our Amazon and Chewy wish lists. Additionally, you can provide a monetary donation that will go towards the purchase of foster supplies.