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HAND Foster Care Guidelines
This set of guidelines is intended to give you a realistic perspective of fostering animals. It can be a very rewarding experience; it also represents an extraordinary commitment of time and can be very taxing emotionally. Thank you for your gracious understanding and assistance.
Basics
Puppies and kittens are not always neat. Their job is to run, play and grow. Our job is to make sure they stay healthy and happy. Very young animals require feedings several times a day and night just like human babies. Your schedule must often be built around their needs.
Potential Illness and Death
This is, for most, the hardest aspect of the foster care program. Sometimes, despite everything we do to care for them, animals, and particularly very young animals, may not survive to adulthood. This is no one's fault; it's just one of those things we humans find especially painful.
There are any number of reasons why a baby animal might not survive. The young may lose their ability to suckle and/or move food through the gastrointestinal tract. They may have contracted an illness from the mother before birth, or even have parasites from the mother, which later cause health problems.
A a foster parent, all you can do is be as well informed as possible, keep your eyes open for potential problems, and alert HAND whenever problems arise. Be on the alert for runny eyes or nose, coughs, irregular breathing, lackluster behavior, etc. If a cat's membrane shows in the corner of its eye, be on the alert for further illness. As a volunteer who is considering fostering animals, you must think seriously about whether you could handle the heartache that is sometimes part of the job. Fostering animals is not for everyone.
Food and Feeding
HAND will provide high-quality food for the special need foster animals. A specific diet and feeding routine will be designed for your animal; these menu items are readily available at your local pet supply or animal feed store. Very young animals that are being bottle fed may be fed every two hours, and should be fed when they cry for food. These animals can generally be weaned onto solid food starting at 4-5 weeks of age.
Elimination
Stools should be firm in healthy animals. Runny stool may indicate a multitude of things. Please consult HAND should this arise. Young puppies and kittens cannot eliminate on their own; normally, the mother assists them with elimination by licking their bottoms, which stimulates the reflex to eliminate. Foster parents should mimic the parent role by wiping puppies and kittens with a warm, moist cloth after feeding to stimulate elimination. This is especially important in kittens, as they can become sick or die from blocked intestinal tracts if not properly stimulated. Kittens should be placed in litter boxes at an early age when they can dig and scratch.
Urine and fecal scalding are common in puppies and kittens. Their bottoms need to be washed frequently as they become repeatedly soiled. Think of yourself as a mother cat who is always licking her young at every opportunity.
Space Considerations
Providing foster care for one of our animals is a wonderful way to help. Getting the animal acclimated to living in a home, with a family and helping the socialize them will be a great benefit when trying to find them a permanent home. Fostering also gives the animal a much-needed break from shelter life. Any additional training you can provide will aid our adoption efforts.
The guidelines are as follows:
1. The animal remains the property of HAND.
2. The animal will remain up for adoption through HANDy. Adoptions will only be granted through the adoption process established by HAND.
3. If a suitable family is interested in seeing the animal, you agree to either return the animal to HAND, or let the family visit the animal at your home.
4. You agree to take prudent and responsible care for the animal. You will ensure that the animal is not stolen, lost or injured.
5. You are responsible for feeding the animal and will provide food, shelter and bedding for the animal.
6. You are responsible for all medical appointments through the instruction of the Home for Friendless Animals. The HFA will pay for all medical expenses.
7. If you already have animals in your home, they must be healthy and up-to-date with shots and veterinary care.
8. If you need a crate, collar or leash we will provide them. HAND is not responsible for damage caused by the foster animal.
9. If there are problems with the foster animal, you will return them to HAND.
10. If you become interested in adopting the animal, you will have 1st priority.
HAND needs qualified foster homes to provide at-home care for some of our residents with special needs. Foster homes are needed for short- and long-term care of dogs and cats. Some animals are recovering from illness or injury. Others, particularly older dogs and cats, find comfort in foster care. Fostering also provides a much-needed break from the kennel for dogs that are still waiting permanent placement.
All potential foster homes must be approved by tHAND. This includes submitting an application.
HAND will pay for all veterinary expenses for the animal while it is in foster care. Details as to procedure will be given to potential foster families at the time of application.
While an animal is in foster care, it is still considered available for permanent adoption. If you decide that you would like to make your foster dog or cat a permanent member of your family, you must contact HAND.
The length of the foster commitment is up to you. Please ask for assistance from HAND when selecting an animal to foster. If you need to return your foster dog or cat to HAND at any time, prior notification is requested whenever possible.
All foster homes will be asked to provide a description of their foster pet, including information on training, temperament, personality, and/or housebreaking to help match the dog or cat with prospective adopters and for advertising purposes.
All adopters are required to have a phone interview before visiting the animal.
All foster animals will remain the property of HAND until an adoption contract is signed by approved applicants. The foster parent does not have the right to release custody of any HAND animal to anyone other than a representative of HAND.
HAND reserves the right to request the return of any foster dog or cat. Upon request, the animal must be returned to HAND or a HAND representative.
For more details about fostering a dog or cat, call HAND at 423-756-HAND(4263). A volunteer will return your call.
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