Community

THE BEAUTY OF FOSTERING

Preparing animals for adoption is a muchneeded service at Oklahoma shelters.

Humane societies and shelters are always looking for people to foster animals not quite ready for adoption. Photo courtesy Second Chance Animal Shelter care for animals that aren’t ready to be adopted. According to its website, Second Chance houses close to 100 dogs and cats and annually nds homes for more than 600 animals. Animals rescued from euthanasia by Second Chance often aren’t spayed or neutered, have other veterinary needs or might have behavioral or training issues, says Grimm. “We help animals in need, and one of best ways to do that is by fostering the animal,” she says. Fosters select an animal from the organization’s website, then pick up the animal and keep it for one to two weeks. In the case of those needing veterinary care or spaying or neutering, they keep the animal safe until the animal’s veterinary appointment. Second Chance provides food and whatever else the animal needs, depending on their own resources, says Grimm. e organization operates entirely on donations. Fosters always have a chance to adopt the animal. “We never want a situation where the foster wants the animal and we have to take it away from them,” says Grimm. “ ey get the rst chance because they gave us a chance to save the animal by fostering them.” Naomi Cunningham of southwest Oklahoma City began fostering Second Chance animals in December, and by early spring, had fostered close to 15 puppies. “It’s great - I love it. You get to get a new puppy [each time],” she says. e Oklahoma City Animal Shelter has had a fostering program for several years, but Wise says one facet – the “Flash Foster” program, whereby an animal is checked out to a foster caretaker for only a

When it comes to saving animals that might few hours – is fairly new. otherwise be headed for euthanasia, “fail- “Any [animal] available for adoption can be taken ure” can be viewed as a good thing. out for a few hours a day,” says Wise. “It gets them out

A “foster fail” occurs when someone volunteers to the shelter for a break.” Wise said weekend or overcare for an animal temporarily, and winds up keep- night fostering is also proving popular. ing it rather than returning it to the shelter. at’s Johnson says the Humane Society of Tulsa has had the best possible outcome of a fostering situation, only a few requests from fosters who want to keep says Hank Johnson, board member for the Humane an animal part-time but has a “take a pet home for Society of Tulsa. Christmas” program for temporary foster stays.

“It happens quite a bit,” he says. “People don’t want Wise says that while the Oklahoma City fostering to give the animal up.” program has been in place for several years, it has

Crystal Wise, administrative specialist with the gained popularity recently, “because we’re trying to Oklahoma City Animal Shelter and overseer of its fos- save as many animals as possible. People are willing ter care program, says a number of people who agree to help more.” e need is there, she says, for the to foster animals participate in the shelter’s Foster to fostering program to grow even more. Adopt program speci cally for that reason. HENRY DOLIVE

Rose Grimm, manager of the Second Chance Animal Sanctuary in Looking to Foster? Norman, says fosters represent an important type of rescue. Second Chance works with animal shelters statewide SECOND CHANCE ANIMAL SANCTUARY 405-321-1915 secondchancenorman.com normansecondchance@gmail.com OKC ANIMAL WELFARE 405-297-3100 awinfo@okc.gov OKLAHOMA HUMANE SOCIETY to rescue dogs and cats HUMANE SOCIETY OF TULSA 405-286-1229 Ext. 1 that otherwise would be 918-495-3647 okhumane.org euthanized, and depend fido@tulsapets.com or spot@tulsapets.com foster@okhumane.org on fosters to temporarily