1. Free Pets?!
We'll start with the benefit to you. You get a pet for FREE with no strings attached. It may seem hard to give them up when they get adopted, or it's their time to go back to the shelter. But, if you're in a position where you can't commit to a pet for 10-15 years, or can't afford one, then fostering is the perfect thing to do! Most shelters will provide most of what you need if you cannot afford to do so, such as food, bed, as well as any vets fees. So it's the perfect mix, you get the pet, minus the long-term commitment and minus most of the expenses too!
Another benefit to you is that it can be great practice for when you finally get a pet for yourself, it can help you decide your favorite animals and breeds that fit your lifestyle!
2. Free space means adoptable pets
Now let's start with some of the good that you will be doing. Firstly, for the shelter:
It frees up space for the shelter. One less pet in the shelter means one more cage that can be filled and used for another adoptable pet. This means that you fostering one pet can lead to other pets being adopted because of you too! Shelters also have hundreds of animals that need a lot of care, attention, and cleaning! Foster families reduce this workload for the staff. Believe us, even one animal in foster care can make a big difference. The less time staff spend cleaning, feeding, or giving medicine to pets, the more time they can spend socializing with the animals. This keeps our animals happier and more adoptable!
3. Improve your foster pet's life
Fostering gives the pet a chance to be back in a loving home environment. This can make such a difference to the animal's life, relieving the stress of the shelter, keeping them calm, happy, and exercised is so key to their health. Not only is it vital for their health, but it can also have a huge impact on their chances of being adopted. Seeing a pet in a home environment can give a lot more information to a potential owner. As a foster parent, you can also give a better judge of character to help their decision and find them the right home!
4. You can become a shelter influencer
Another one for the shelter. While you are fostering, going on walks, seeing people, and posting about your foster pets, it highlights the pet, the shelter, and fostering to others around you! You can literally become an influencer for your local animal shelter and spread their message. Often people don't know that fostering is a thing, so if you can spread the word whilst you do it, your impact on the shelter could increase exponentially!
5. Save a life
In some cases, shelters need foster parents for litters of kittens, or puppies. Or for injured/sick animals. In these cases, fostering can literally save lives. Animal shelters can be extremely stressful places. A stress-free foster home can be the difference between life and death for animals who arrived at the shelter in poor condition. In other situations, shelters rescue pets from kill shelters, and foster families can be their chance to live. CARE does not euthanize for time or space, only when medically advised by veterinarians.
Would you like to foster an animal? Fill in our volunteer form to get in touch!
