FOSTER PROGRAM
Open your heart and home and give an animal a second chance at life!
Greater Victoria Animals’ Crusaders (GVAC) appreciates your interest in fostering an animal that has been rescued.
Making the decision to foster an animal is a big responsibility and we want to ensure that everyone in your household realizes this. Therefore, we will do everything possible to make the right match for you and the animal.
If you decide to take part in our foster program, you could be making the difference between life and death for an animal that has been abandoned, abused, or neglected. Unfortunately, some animals that are brought to us are too sick, too young, or not socialized enough to be adopted out right away. These animals just need time to heal in a loving and safe environment.
Foster volunteers take these animals into their home, providing a safe environment for them to mature, become more socialized, or heal from an existing wound or illness. This can be an intense commitment, but also a very rewarding one.
Need is especially great during spring/summer kitten season, when pregnant cats and mothers with litters of kittens (and in many cases the kittens mothers) are found without a home. Until the kittens are old enough to be weaned and separated from the mother, they cannot be put up for adoption. All these animals need is a safe, warm place to be loved and taken care of until we can find them a forever home.
If you are interested in becoming a foster parent or have questions regarding the program, please contact us at 250-474-5581 or email us at gvac@shaw.ca
Below are the most commonly asked questions regarding our foster program:
Why does GVAC have a foster program? GVAC has a foster care program because we don’t have a shelter or facility to house these animals in. In order for us to help them and give them a second chance at life, we need to have a safe place for them to stay until we can adopt them into permanent homes.
Who can foster animals? Anyone can foster animals; however, we will require you to fill out a foster home application and allow us to be a home check so that we can ensure that they are provided with the best possible care while in their foster home.
What are the foster home’s responsibilities? GVAC expects all animals held in foster homes will be welcomed as a member of the family. Foster care givers must be able to provide a clean, safe environment in which to care for the animals to prevent injury and the spread of disease.
It is the foster home’s responsibility to ensure their own pets are fully vaccinated to prevent possibly transferring any diseases.
In the event that the animal in your foster care becomes ill, you must contact GVAC immediately, and the veterinary costs are paid for fully by us.
How do these animals find homes? Once the animal is placed in foster care, GVAC will place the animal up for adoption. If the animal needs time to mature, learn social skills, or recover from illness, GVAC will keep in contact with the foster home regarding the animal’s progress. Once things have improved, GVAC will then proceed with placing the animal up for adoption.
Special considerations for fostering dogs: We require that foster care providers of dogs have a fenced yard with some form of shelter. Additionally, a place should be provided in the home where the dog is welcome as they are social animals who crave interaction with people.
Special considerations for fostering cats: All cats fostered from GVAC must be kept indoors at all times to prevent them from running away, injury, and spread of disease. If you with to introduce a new cat into your household with existing pets, keep the cat separate from the other animals until they adjust to their new surroundings.
Animals that qualify for the foster program fall into one of the following categories:
- Healthy unwanted animals that have been abandoned
- Pregnant or nursing animals (cats and dogs)
- Animals recovering from injuries (cats and dogs)
- Dogs with kennel cough or cats with URI’s (upper respiratory infections)
- Mildly sick animals under the care of a veterinarian (cats and dogs)
- Orphan kittens or puppies found, often as young as 3-4 weeks old
Sadly, many people think cats are disposable and the majority of our animals in need of fostering are cats.
Criteria for Fostering:
- You must be at least 18 years of age
- Your current pets must all be spayed or neutered and up to date on vaccinations
- You must have a separate room to isolate a foster animal
- You must have time to care for your foster animal
- You must abide by the foster agreement that you sign upon joining the program
We require a commitment of anywhere from 2 days to 90 days to help care for and provide love to one of our many homeless animals in need.
If you would like to open up your heart and home to a needy animal, please contact us today:
Email gvac@shaw.ca
Phone 250-474-5581
Website www.animalcrusaders.ca
PLEASE HELP US HELP A DESPERATE ANIMAL IN NEED !
