Foster an Animal
Be a Foster Volunteer and Help a Pet in Need.
Heart of the Valley frequently needs dedicated volunteers to be foster parents for a variety of reasons. Imagine the joy of helping a pet recover from an injury only to return to the shelter to find their forever home. Cats, kittens, dogs and puppies are included in the program. It is a life saving and a life changing program.
Below are some of the commonly asked questions:
What is a foster parent?
A volunteer foster parent assists in the rehabilitation of an animal by providing in-home care. An animal may need a foster home for a variety of reasons including age, illness, injuries, or socialization. Foster parents provide a clean, safe, loving environment for our animals in their homes.
How long is the foster care commitment?
The length of foster care for each animal varies depending on its needs.
What are the expenses for a foster parent?
Heart of the Valley will supply all needed food, litter and medicine if a foster is unable to purchase these things. We do not require foster parents to purchase supplies but graciously accept the purchase of such as donations. The cost for us to care for animals averages out to about $350 per animal. We are a non-profit and thus anything a foster parent can provide for our foster pet helps.
What are the requirements for foster parents?
Prospective foster parents complete an application and a personal interview with our Volunteer Manager. Home inspections are conducted for every foster. It is a requirement that at least one home visit is performed every year for every foster volunteer.
Things to consider:
Are you at least 18 years of age? Though we encourage children to be a big part of the fostering experience, adults are required to be the primary caregivers of the foster animals in the home.
If you have animals at home, they may be subjected to disease from the foster pet. Make sure your animals are up to date on their vaccinations. Vaccinations should be completed at least 14 days before you bring home a foster to allow the vaccine to be fully effective.
When outside, puppies and dogs must be supervised and in an enclosed yard or be on a leash. Kittens and cats must be kept indoors at all times.
To support our foster volunteers, we will answer any and all questions on the care of the animals and can provide assistance with in-home behavior training.
If you are interested in becoming a Foster Family, start by filling out the Foster Application [PDF]. A brief interview and a home check are generally required as part of the application process. When Heart of the Valley requires a Foster Family, you will be notified of the situation and can then decide whether or not to commit to that need.
Thank you for supporting Heart of the Valley!
