June is Foster A Pet Month! If you’re spending a lot of time at home, fostering is a wonderful way to make the most of it. By fostering a pet, you’re helping an animal in need, supporting our local community, and making a difference in the world! An Anderson, IN vet discusses fostering in this article.

Why Foster?

Pets need fostering for many reasons. Young animals may need training or socialization, while pets that are recuperating from illness or injury may require lots of TLC. In some cases, fostering is a way to help care for pets of those who are deployed, sick, or away from home. Rescues that don’t have physical buildings also need fosters.

Benefits

There are definitely some advantages to fostering. Seeing a pet that you’ve cared for going to a loving home is a very rewarding—if somewhat bittersweet—experience. If you have kids, it can also be an educational experience, and one that could have a huge impact on them. Plus, it’s a short-term commitment, unlike adoption. Most foster situations last about two months, though that of course will vary depending on the pet and their needs. If you aren’t ready to adopt yet, this may be a great option for you!

Things To Think About

You do want to think things over before signing on. Make sure that you have the time, space, and budget to foster an animal. You’ll also want to consider your household, as well as any other pets. Many dogs and cats will not be happy to find themselves with another ‘sibling!’ Last but not least, ask yourself if you’ll be able to let go when the time comes. It can be hard to say goodbye to a cute face! This is also important to consider if you have kids. With everything going on this year, it may be very hard for children to get attached to a pet that will soon be moving on.

Tips

If you are interested in fostering, contact local animal shelters and charities. You may need to go through an interview process. You can also start doing some petproofing. Remove or secure anything that could be dangerous, such as toxic plants, wires and cords, medicine, chemicals, and anything small or sharp.

Please contact us, your Anderson, IN vet clinic, if there is any way we can be of assistance. We’re here for you!