Summer 2013 • V ol. 47 No. 2 - San Diego Humane Society and SPCA

FOSTERING
Recovery
at all Ages
Imagine an animal shelter as something like a hotel. While
even the very best of its kind isn’t likely to compete with
the calm and comfort of a home environment, a hotel stay
would not pose a huge problem for most people. If the
amenities were good and the staff friendly, it might even be
a welcome change! There are some, however, for whom this
situation would present a host of challenges and emotional
turmoil. Those struggling with limited social skills, shyness,
and physical limitations – to name just a few – would likely
see an endless list of battles needing to be fought at every
turn, the results of which can range from sleep deprivation to
fear and withdrawal, to disorientation.
Although an imperfect analogy, likening an animal shelter to a hotel can help
us to at least remember that like humans, animals have distinct personalities
and histories as well as any associated challenges. Because of this, a shelter
environment is simply not conducive to maintaining positive mental health for
some animals.
cover story
The San Diego Humane
Society and SPCA’s Foster
Program is able to provide a
much-needed alternative for
animals who need special,
individualized attention to
thrive. Such was certainly the
case for Toni, a 2-year old Dutch/
American breed rabbit, who
began to display defensive and
territorial behavior at our Central Campus whenever anyone
tried to clean her kennel or interact with her. Placing her
in foster care provided an alternate environment for her in
which she did not feel as anxious. With tremendous patience
and ongoing promotional efforts from her foster dad, Toni was
given the time she needed to slowly develop trust and grow
more comfortable with human interaction. Ultimately, she was
adopted after 472 days in our care.
For some animals, being in our foster program not only
helps them on the road to adoption by providing long-term
assistance, it provides the immediate answer to a question
of life or death. An orphaned kitten in the first weeks of
life, for example, is entirely dependent on its mother – for
nourishment, for functionality, for grooming, for socialization
– and in her absence the chances of survival decrease
exponentially. Were it not for the surrogate mother role that
our foster volunteers are able to assume during this fragile
and formative time in a kitten’s life, the survival of countless
kittens, like Noel, could be in serious jeopardy.
Kittens like Noel, who
was found with his five
siblings outside an autosupply
store in Oceanside
last November. Just days
old, the helpless kittens
were immediately placed
into foster homes where
they could be given
bottle feedings every
two hours, have heating
pads, grooming, and be
Noel (the kitten)
Toni
monitored around the clock. Once kittens have graduated
from the neonatal stage of their development, they are still
too young and fragile to be made available for adoption, and
therefore remain in the foster program for the next two stages
of their development: the transitional phase (typically from
2-5 weeks of age), and the socialization stage (from 5 – 8
weeks, and until they are 2 lbs).
We feel incredibly fortunate to have foster volunteers to
provide this level of care, as most animal shelters do not have
the resources or manpower to affect positive outcomes for many
of the neonates that come into their care. Unfortunately, as a
result, the underage kitten population consistently represents
the highest euthanasia percentage of treatable animals in
shelters across the US. The limited resources at many shelters
can also preclude the viability of offering extended care to
animals at the opposite end of the age spectrum. In addition
to senior animals, those with medical issues also represent
animal populations that can be tremendously jeopardized
without the additional resources and care that a foster
program provides. Foster volunteers also provide a nurturing
environment for animals recovering from medical procedures…
animals like Rita – a 10-year
old Chihuahua suffering from
severe seizures. Through foster
care she was able to receive
critical monitoring and medical
care, ultimately providing her
a second chance to become the
amazing companion she was
meant to be.
Foster. The word itself –
Rita
both a noun and a verb – is nearly as multi-faceted as its
role within our organization. As we move ever forward in
our efforts to achieve our goal of “getting to zero” – saving
the life of every adoptable animal in San Diego County
Coalition Shelters – it is resources like foster care that
provide invaluable solutions for animals who require care
outside of the shelter environment, while simultaneously
allowing us to fill those vacant habitat spaces within our
walls with additional homeless animals. We remain more
committed than ever to increasing our adoption numbers
and finding loving homes for all of the amazing animals we
serve day in and day out. Among the numerous exciting goals
and directives that we have set organization-wide, we are
greatly increasing the number of animals who will be able to
benefit from our Foster Program, thus helping to ensure that
San Diego remains one of the very best cities to own and –
perhaps most importantly – to be a pet.
In our ongoing collaborative efforts to find ways to
G20 (“Get to Zero”), the Foster Program has set an
ambitious goal for the upcoming year to provide
foster care for 1,500 animals. To become a foster
volunteer, please email Volinfo@sdhumane.org”
10 www.sdhumane.org
AnimalFare • Summer 2013
AnimalFare • Summer 2013
www.sdhumane.org
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