Foster an Animal
Provide the Bridge to a Forever Home
St. Croix Animal Friends does not yet have an animal shelter where homeless or surrendered dogs and cats can find safe refuge. In spite of that, SCAF remains committed to helping animals in urgent need of a caring home.
SCAF often receives word of emergency situations where animals need someone to care for them immediately. Because of this, we developed a Foster Program consisting of a network of volunteers interested in providing foster care for such animals.
What is fostering?
Foster families provide animals with temporary homes until permanent placement can be found. Fostering is a rewarding way to be involved in an animal’s journey to find their forever home. Fosters ensure the animal’s comfort, safety, and general well being until they are placed with an adopting owner. Many times, a foster home is the first nurturing home an animal has ever experienced. Fostering involves socializing, a process that dramatically increases the pet’s chance for adoption into a new loving home.
Providing a “bridge” for an animal in need of a permanent home saves lives and helps set the stage for a successful adoption. Through observation, foster caregivers provide valuable information about the animals. This helps ensure each pet is placed in a permanent home that is a good fit.
Deciding to be a foster family is a decision that can save lives and is a very rewarding experience. No animal crosses our paths without leaving footprints on our hearts. You will be the most important part of a process making a critical difference in an animal’s life.
SCAF pays all costs for fostered animals including food, pet supplies, toys, and medical expenses. SCAF utilizes various media channels and Adoption Events to provide public exposure for fostered animals so prospective new owners can learn of their availability. Adoption is the outcome we strive to achieve for every pet in our foster program.
How does it work?
If you are considering fostering, discuss the possibility with all of the family members in your household. You want to ensure that everyone is on the same page and that your household is ready for, and compatible with, fostering a dog or cat. Remember to consider how your foster role would affect any current 4-legged family members. Submit a foster interest form to SCAF (see below) and the foster staff will contact you to gain more information about you and the home in which the pet would be fostered. You will need to sign the Foster Agreement. SCAF will match foster pets with the family’s availability, experience, and preferences. SCAF program staff stays in close contact with the fostering family to provide support throughout the process, assuring the best possible experience for all concerned.
SCAF pays all costs for fostered animals including food, pet supplies, toys, and medical expenses. SCAF utilizes various media channels and Adoption Events to provide public exposure for fostered animals so prospective new owners can learn of their availability. Adoption is the outcome we strive to achieve for every pet in our foster program.
Does fostering a dog or cat appeal to you?
Please contact our foster chairperson at KateN@scafshelter.org for more information if you are interested in this most important volunteer opportunity. Or, fill out and return the Foster Agreement.