Foster Parents Save Lives!
Each year our Foster Parents save the lives of many of those animals by giving them a second chance at a better life. You can become a Foster Parent too!

Our Foster Parents are asked to...

• Give your foster animal lots of attention and affection.
• The animal may have lived a difficult life before coming to your home. Your love and attention will help heal the animal's psychological wounds.
• Learn as much as you can about pet care.
• Before you bring your foster animal home, learn as much as you can about caring for that particular type of animal. Read about feeding, grooming, and training. Read our guidelines carefully. Study warning signs that may indicate the animal needs veterinary attention.
• Before you bring your foster animal home, make sure you "pet proof" your home. For example, remove poisonous plants and protect furnishings. Keep the animal's room warm and comfortable. Also, take steps to prevent the animal from escaping.
• Keep your pets up-to-date on their vaccinations.
• All animals should be current on vaccinations that protect them from diseases. Before you bring home a foster animal, consult your veterinarian to make sure your own animals have received the preventive treatment they need to keep them safe.
• Recognize your limits.
• Fostering requires a great deal of time and energy - both emotional and physical. Don't overextend yourself by fostering animals too frequently or you may burn yourself out.
• Return the animal to the Shelter on time.
• The Shelter depends on you to make its program work. If you have a Special Needs animal that must be returned to the shelter, be sure to return the animal to the Shelter at the scheduled time. If you decide to adopt an animal you foster, you must go through the Shelter's normal adoption process. If a friend or relative wants to adopt the animal you are fostering, that person must go through the Shelter's adoption process also.
• Understand that some foster animals will not survive.

Understand the requirements to become a foster parent.

1. Have the support of all individuals living in your home.
2. Have consent of your landlord.
3. Complete the Foster Care Application.
4. Have your own pets current on all their vaccinations.
5. Understand that the Jackson-Madison County Humane Society is not responsible for any damage or injury done by a foster animal in your care.
6. Understand that all animals remain the property of the Jackson-Madison County Humane Society.

Enjoy being a foster parent.
Although fostering takes a great deal of time and commitment, it can be an incredibly rewarding experience.

Special Needs
The Special Needs foster program allows special needs animals to be sheltered in an individual's home rather than the animal shelter. The goal of the Special Needs program is to rehabilitate as many animals as the shelter can reasonably handle and ultimately place. Animals with special needs include mothers with litters, injured animals, and animals with treatable illnesses.

Interested in becoming a foster parent? Please feel free to call the Jackson-Madison County Humane Society at 731-422-5366 for more details.