Local residents are being encouraged to foster an animal to help contribute to saving homeless pets.
Warren County Animal Control and Adoption Center is looking for foster parents. These are volunteers who are willing to provide temporary, in-home care for dogs, cats and their offspring.
“Being closed makes it difficult to adopt out animals,” said Sherri Bradley, director of Warren County Animal Control and Adoption Center. “We have stopped taking owner surrenders. We are going to start doing a foster program.”
The facility has been closed to the public due to COVID-19.
Foster owners are needed to provide love, while the facility provides the animal. Ownership of the foster animal remains with Animal Control.
A written agreement between the two includes the following conditions:
I will accept and consider the animal as a household companion, not as an outside pet, and will provide the animal with a safe environment, humane treatment, proper food, fresh water, shelter and exercise.
Animal Control will cover veterinary expenses for the animal, provided that the care is pre-approved by the director and performed by an approved veterinarian. In the case of an emergency, the foster must make every attempt to reach someone at the facility and go to an approved veterinarian.
If the animal is lost or stolen, the foster agrees to notify Animal Control and make a reasonable effort to recover the animal.
Either party can cancel the agreement. The animal must be returned to the facility at that time.
Foster also agrees not to give or sell the animal to another, alter the animal’s appearance or remove the animal’s microchip, and will allow a reasonable amount of time for the animal to adjust to new surroundings. Animals typically take a week to settle into a new home.
During the foster care period, Animal Control will make periodic visits to the home. Fosters must notify the facility of a change in address, phone number or email address. Should the foster wish to adopt the animal, proper procedure must be followed.
For more information about Warren County Animal Control and Adoption Center’s pet foster program, call 507-3647.
