Archives > Plano Star-courier > News
Print
E-mail
Comment
Rate
RSS
Share
Agencies looking for caring, dedicated foster pet parents
By Kelli Doyle, Staff Writer
The Society for the Prevention of Cruelty to Animals of Collin County is looking for people interested in volunteering to foster animals without homes.
James Bias, SPCA president, said the organization has hundreds and hundreds of volunteers.
"Our foster homes are all volunteers," he said.
Foster homes must be approved by the SPCA.
Anyone with the right qualifications can foster.
Successful pet foster parents need a compassionate nature, the cooperation of family and others living in the home, flexibility and some knowledge of animal behavior.
In the case of juvenile or young animals, foster parents have to be home all day.
Foster volunteers also need to understand that there could be a possibility the animal may or may not be adopted when returned to the animal care center.
Bias said qualifications are stringent with the SPCA.
Fostering puppies or kittens is not for the light-hearted as they are not usually house trained.
Bias said they have to be pretty selective on who they like to foster.
"We want to insure that we are connected," said Bias. "In order to provide adequate care to the animal while under the care of the SPCA.
The SPCA also has safeguard issues.
"When sending animals to foster situation," said Bias. "We want to make sure the home does not have animals from other shelters."
This is due to the possibility of contagious diseases that might come from the other shelter animal.
"We also want to do everything we can," said Bias. "To minimize the risk of putting some animals in situations of an environment with too many other animals."
Bias says the SPCA has an obligation to screen all potential volunteers, not just for the animals' sake, but also for the volunteers so they won't over extend themselves.
"We have an obligation not to burn out volunteers," said Bias.
The long-term goal of the SPCA is that volunteers adopt the pets, and according to Bias, a good number of foster homes do that.
There is no timeframe for adoption, according to Bias.
When coming from an abusive or traumatic situation, it is not good for the animal physically or psychologically to be placed in a home right away.
Since they need more "TLC," foster homes are better because there, the volunteer has more time to spend with the animal and the animal is not so stressed out.
The SPCA had a tremendous swell of support from relief efforts for Katrina animals, Bias said. One-third to one-half of the animals fostered from the Katrina disaster were adopted.
"There was unbelievable generosity from people who volunteered," said Bias. "Opening up their hearts and homes to animals."
The SPCA has been very successful in placing animals and they are always looking for new volunteer prospects.
Some foster home parents started out as volunteers with dog walks and fund-raisers.
"I started out as a foster parent," said Bias.
According to statistics provided by the Metroplex Animal Coalition, an average of 200,000 healthy and potentially adoptable animals are euthanized in the Dallas-Fort Worth area every year.
The main reason is overpopulation.
Last year, the SPCA placed 13,000 dogs and cats.
An open house for anyone interested in fostering animals or volunteering will take place from 2 to 4 p.m. Saturday at the Dallas SPCA shelter, 362 S. Industrial Blvd.
Many of the programs have been designed to fit within any lifestyle.
Volunteers can work with pets in the animal care centers, be involved in the animal foster program or spend time volunteering at one of the hundreds of offsite mobile adoption centers.
For information on how to foster a homeless animal, visit www.spca.org.
The Animal Guardians of America (AGA), a no-kill rescue organization in Plano also is in desperate need of foster homes.
For information, call 972-398-2123 or go to AGA@AnimalGuardians.com.
The following are comments from the readers.
In no way do they represent the view of Starlocalnews.com
In no way do they represent the view of Starlocalnews.com
You must register with a valid email to post comments.
Only your Member ID will be posted with the comments.
Only your Member ID will be posted with the comments.
Registered users sign in here:
Become a Registered User
- Return to: News «
- Home «
- Top of Page ^
