Kitten season, as Sarah Nafziger of the Stratford-Perth humane describes it, is nearing its end, but it isn’t over yet.
Nafziger is foster coordinator for the local humane society, part of the broader Humane Society of Kitchener Waterloo and Stratford Perth. She said that though the general public may not expect it, they experience cycles throughout the year. They go from busy to busier. Kitten season, from spring to about October, is one of those busier times.
The Humane Society of Kitchener-Waterloo and Stratford-Perth are always looking for foster parents to help give transient pets a home before they find their ‘forever home.’
Emily Vellenga has been working at the humane society for three years and has fostered for the past two years. She started fostering when she noticed a need from the organization.
Vellenga said that animals coming in and out of her home can be difficult, but knowing that they head to their forever home is what makes it worthwhile.
“It's awesome to be able to see them go into their forever home and see them make their own memories.”
Vellenga started with three kittens.
“It was the end of the day. These kittens showed up and no one was there to take care of them. So I just took them home and it kind of grew from there.”
Now, Vellenga is currently fostering a nine-week old puppy named Scout, who at the time of publication is not yet available for adoption. Like many animals up for adoption and needing fostering, his health has been in question.
“He was having troubles with his blood sugar,” Vellenga explained. “His owner surrendered him, just because it was gonna be costly at the vet. They weren't able to financially take that on.
“He was so little at the start, he was definitely having some issues there. He just needs to constantly eat, otherwise he doesn't have the reserves in his tiny body to hold on to all the energy that he needs … as he's gotten bigger, he's gotten a little bit more energy. He's been doing better lately.”
One of the great things about fostering, Vellenga said, is seeing the true personalities of the pets blossom. In the shelter, animals are very different. They become quieter, more reserved and aren’t themselves. In foster homes, they are more like how they will be when they find a suitable family.
“The only other dog I took home … she was more vocal than what I had anticipated. You notice some different behaviours from being in the shelter. She was quieter here, which is normal. It's a little scarier here. So as soon as I get them home, it can definitely be different from what they experienced. So they definitely show a different personality when you take them out."
“Even Scout, when he's in the shelter he's a little bit more quiet, less active. When I took him home, he definitely was more outgoing.”
In that respect, fostering is incredibly important in building accurate pet profiles on their website.
To become a foster parent, applicants fill out a questionnaire and are interviewed by the manager of volunteers. If a good fit, applicants can reach out to Nafzigar to set them up with compatible cats or dogs.
“It depends on the person that is fostering,” Nafziger said. “If you already have a bunch of cats at home, and they are good with kittens, we can get you some kittens."
“If you work from home and have a lot more flexibility, then maybe we can set you up with some bottle babies that need to be fed every two to three hours. Those are a lot more hands on.
“ If you're a classic nine-to-five worker we would probably set you up with one of our adult cats that are okay being home alone for extended amounts of time. We work with people’s lifestyles to figure out what is going to be the best animal for them.”
Foster parents should have six months of time prepared to foster, though Nafziger notes that fostering usually never goes that long. The longest she has seen has been three or four months, and that’s usually due to a medical issue that needs more attention.
The humane society also has a student program, since students often have free time during the summer. Information about this program and how to apply for it can be found on their website.
Potential foster parents get as much information as possible about pets so that they can make the best decision. Fostering does not mean that their lives go on indefinite hold. Foster parents can decide when to take in fosters to plan around any personal time they want to take.
When asked if she had any advice for anyone looking to foster, Vellenga laughed. While the humane society does their best to give as much information to foster parents as possible, it isn’t always enough. Part of the adventure of fostering is learning more about these waylaid pets.
“The unexpected is more is to be expected.”
For more information on fostering, visit here.
