SO, You want to Foster! Galveston Island Humane Society thanks you for your interest in the our Foster Care Program. Fostering needy animal(s) is a richly rewarding experience and we thank you for opening your home and hearts. Whether you foster an animal that needs some time to grow, or an adult who needs a little extra TLC, you make it possible for us to provide the very best care possible for all of our residents at GIHS. Let’s talk about what kinds of pets may need your foster care: • Age– GIHS often takes in animals that are simply too young. This could be a mama with babies or just the orphans that have come in alone. Sometimes they need a few weeks, while others may need a couple months. • Healthy – GIHS is an open admissions shelter, meaning we do not turn away any animal in our jurisdiction. We often take in animals that are not healthy enough to go up for adoption immediately. Some need a quiet place to recover as well as some additional care or TLC. SO, You Want T o F oster! For more info contact Thresea Russ at: [email protected] or Dani Gavin at: [email protected]
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SO, You want to Foster!Galveston Island Humane Society
thanks you for your interest in the ourFoster Care Program.
Fostering needy animal(s) is a richly rewarding experience and we thank you
for opening your home and hearts.
Whether you foster an animal that needs some time to grow, or an adult who needs
a little extra TLC, you make it possible for us to provide the very best care possible for all
of our residents at GIHS.
Let’s talk about what kinds of pets may need your foster care:
• Age– GIHS often takes in animals that are simply too young. This could be a mama with babies or just the orphans that have come in alone. Sometimes they need a few weeks, while others may need a couple months.
• Healthy – GIHS is an open admissions shelter, meaning we do not turn away any animal in our jurisdiction. We often take in animals that are not healthy enough to go up for adoption immediately. Some need a quiet place to recover as well as some additional care or TLC.
SO,
You Want
To Foster!
• Behavior – An animal may have been neglected, may be too timid to thrive in the shelter environment, or has been at GIHS too long and needs a couple of weeks with a foster to learn that being with people can be a good thing. Sometimes the pet population at GIHS just needs a break, and a foster home can give them a place to de-stress.
What Fostering Involves:
As a foster parent you are responsible for feeding, cleaning, socializing, and cuddling your pets. In some cases, you may need to bottle feed, give medications or take them to the veterinarian.
In terms of space, you don’t need much for cats or kittens. A laundry room, bathroom or extra bedroom is helpful, but a cage set up in the corner of your room can work just �ne. Depending on the age of the kittens, you’ll be caring for them for one to eight weeks.
For puppies (depending on size) usually a bathroom or crate will do just �ne. As for the larger dog, we recommend keeping them in a crate when you are away or asleep until you learn the behavior and level of training of the dog.
If your foster pet is on the GIHS “available for adoption list”, you are required to bring them to the shelter facility and/or outside
adoption events from time to time for the exposure to potential adopters.
Finally, unless you adopt them, you must be prepared to let your foster pets go. It can be sad to say goodbye, but remember, you have given them a great start toward a new life.. Thanks to you, they will have a loving, permanent home with some very lucky adopters.
There is also the possibility that your foster pet may have a physical problem they cannot over-come. The death of a foster pet is seldom, but a possibility. As a foster parent you will need to be prepared for this to happen.
Most Importantly, every pet you foster truly does save a life.
What to expect once you have completed Foster Training:
• You will be put on an email listing of current foster parents and will be regularly noti�ed when animals are in need of a loving foster home. (If you do not have constant access to email, please let the shelter sta� know so other contact arrangements can be made.)
• After a pet or pets have been agreed upon by you and the foster coordinator, arrangements will be made for you to pick them up ).
For more info contact Thresea Russ at:[email protected] orDani Gavin at: [email protected]
• If you have not gone through the specific training for the particular type foster you are taking, training will be done when you come in for your scheduled pickup.
• All materials needed for your foster(s) will be provided for you by GIHS, i.e. medicines, food/formula, carriers, beds, kennels, bowls, litter, as well as any other item(s) the animal may require.
• You will be provided a Foster File for your animal. This �le will have all the crucial information on the animal, including contact information for the foster coordinator who will assist you through your foster period. The File will also include any special instructions needed for the particular animal(s) and when your scheduled checkups are.
• Your last step is to see the front desk staff so your foster(s) information and schedule can be recorded in the GIHS computer system.
How You Can Become a Pet Foster:
• Complete a Foster Care Application • Attend a Foster Orientation• Sign the Foster Parent Agreement Form• Meet with GIHS Staff for Additional Fostering Information• Get Started Saving Lives
SO, You want to Foster!Galveston Island Humane Society
thanks you for your interest in the ourFoster Care Program.
Fostering needy animal(s) is a richly rewarding experience and we thank you
for opening your home and hearts.
Whether you foster an animal that needs some time to grow, or an adult who needs
a little extra TLC, you make it possible for us to provide the very best care possible for all
of our residents at GIHS.
Let’s talk about what kinds of pets may need your foster care:
• Age– GIHS often takes in animals that are simply too young. This could be a mama with babies or just the orphans that have come in alone. Sometimes they need a few weeks, while others may need a couple months.
• Healthy – GIHS is an open admissions shelter, meaning we do not turn away any animal in our jurisdiction. We often take in animals that are not healthy enough to go up for adoption immediately. Some need a quiet place to recover as well as some additional care or TLC.
• Behavior – An animal may have been neglected, may be too timid to thrive in the shelter environment, or has been at GIHS too long and needs a couple of weeks with a foster to learn that being with people can be a good thing. Sometimes the pet population at GIHS just needs a break, and a foster home can give them a place to de-stress.
What Fostering Involves:
As a foster parent you are responsible for feeding, cleaning, socializing, and cuddling your pets. In some cases, you may need to bottle feed, give medications or take them to the veterinarian.
In terms of space, you don’t need much for cats or kittens. A laundry room, bathroom or extra bedroom is helpful, but a cage set up in the corner of your room can work just �ne. Depending on the age of the kittens, you’ll be caring for them for one to eight weeks.
For puppies (depending on size) usually a bathroom or crate will do just �ne. As for the larger dog, we recommend keeping them in a crate when you are away or asleep until you learn the behavior and level of training of the dog.
If your foster pet is on the GIHS “available for adoption list”, you are required to bring them to the shelter facility and/or outside
adoption events from time to time for the exposure to potential adopters.
Finally, unless you adopt them, you must be prepared to let your foster pets go. It can be sad to say goodbye, but remember, you have given them a great start toward a new life.. Thanks to you, they will have a loving, permanent home with some very lucky adopters.
There is also the possibility that your foster pet may have a physical problem they cannot over-come. The death of a foster pet is seldom, but a possibility. As a foster parent you will need to be prepared for this to happen.
Most Importantly, every pet you foster truly does save a life.
What to expect once you have completed Foster Training:
• You will be put on an email listing of current foster parents and will be regularly noti�ed when animals are in need of a loving foster home. (If you do not have constant access to email, please let the shelter sta� know so other contact arrangements can be made.)
• After a pet or pets have been agreed upon by you and the foster coordinator, arrangements will be made for you to pick them up ).
• If you have not gone through the specific training for the particular type foster you are taking, training will be done when you come in for your scheduled pickup.
• All materials needed for your foster(s) will be provided for you by GIHS, i.e. medicines, food/formula, carriers, beds, kennels, bowls, litter, as well as any other item(s) the animal may require.
• You will be provided a Foster File for your animal. This �le will have all the crucial information on the animal, including contact information for the foster coordinator who will assist you through your foster period. The File will also include any special instructions needed for the particular animal(s) and when your scheduled checkups are.
• Your last step is to see the front desk staff so your foster(s) information and schedule can be recorded in the GIHS computer system.
How You Can Become a Pet Foster:
• Complete a Foster Care Application • Attend a Foster Orientation• Sign the Foster Parent Agreement Form• Meet with GIHS Staff for Additional Fostering Information• Get Started Saving Lives
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