Today at HSLM we have 24 dog kennels – all are regularly full. With over 35 dogs on our list waiting for shelter space, we are asking our community to help. Foster Volunteers can help us in our efforts to help the animals in our community who need us most. By providing a temporary home for a shelter animal, you allow us to intake animals who are waiting for shelter space.
There are so many benefits to fostering animals! However, it’s incredibly important to note that fostering comes with its own set of challenges, too. In order to help our organization, and the animals, foster volunteers need to be willing to work through issues that shelter animals often face. For dogs, some of the notable things to consider are:
– Need for safety: Foster animals may be unsure and scared. It is essential your home provides them with safety and security. Care must be taken to ensure your foster animal does not have the opportunity to consume items around your house, slip out a door, or hop over (or dig under!) a fence. These are just a few of the safety considerations. It’s so important that foster homes can responsibly keep their foster dog safe while they are in their home.
– Accidents happen: And sometimes, frequently! Some foster dogs need help and training with many aspects of being a we-l mannered house member, and this can include learning where to go to the bathroom. Patience and dedication are required.
– Separation anxiety: It’s not uncommon for foster dogs to suffer from separation anxiety. If you have concerns about barking or whining, please consider fostering a cat or critter instead of a dog.
We provide foster homes with all required items for foster animals. If you are interested in learning more about becoming a foster volunteer, please review our requirements and consider applying to help us in our efforts to help the animals who need us most.