There are so many benefits that pets provide for kids! It’s easy for kids to get wrapped up in the idea of owning a new pet, but its up to their parents to make sure the experience is a positive one, and that the pet receives the care he or she needs for their entire lives. Kids tend to think of all the fun, good things. Parents who are experienced, or even first-time pet owners, know there is a lot of patience, time, and effort involved, but that the pay-off of sharing your home and life with the unconditional love a well-cared for pet gives, it’s well worth it. For those parents sitting on the edge, here are several positive benefits you might not have thought of when bringing a pet home for your kids.

1. Children who grow up in homes with pets have less risk of developing common allergies and asthma.
2. Playing with dogs may help lower blood pressure.
3. Kids with pets get outside more – to go for walks, run, and play – and enjoy all the associated health benefits.
4. Pet owners require fewer doctor’s visits.
5. Emerging readers often feel more comfortable reading aloud to a pet.
6. Nurturing a pet is an acceptable way for boys to “parent play”; to practice being caregivers.
7. Feeding and caring for a pet encourages childhood responsibility.
8. Children with pets display improved impulse control, social skills and self-esteem.
9. Sharing the love and care of a family pet forges an additional common bond among siblings.
10. Cuddling a pet reduces stress, loneliness, and anxiety.

For more reasons visit Care2.com

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There are many ways you can introduce cats and dogs. These are the six steps I’ve used successfully many times, for a slow & safe introduction of a new cat to resident dogs. “Slow” can be as quickly as one week, or it can take months, depending on the pets being introduced. I worked in pet adoptions for over 12 years, speaking to hundreds of adopters in follow-up calls, as well as introducing many fostered and adopted cats to dogs in my own home. These six steps are the result of all those experiences – I’ve learned from mistakes made, so hopefully you won’t have to! I’ve found the best “new cat to resident dogs” intro is using a crate, and going SLOW. Taking at least 1 week to do a slow, step-by-step introduction is really worth it, for everyone’s safety and stress levels, including yours!

For the rest of this blog article, for simplicity’s sake, I’ll call your dog Rover, and your new cat Kitty.

You may wonder, why all these steps? Why not just put Rover in a crate or on a leash, and Kitty loose in the same room?  That does sometimes work… BUT even “dog-friendly” cats can suddenly attack a dog they perceive as a threat, and a cat’s paws and claws go right through most crate openings. I speak from experience: I have scars on my hands from grabbing a cat who’d latched on to the top of my dog’s head! Cats can blind a dog with their claws, rip dogs ears to shreds with their teeth, and a cat bite is a nasty puncture wound that often gets infected. And of course, many dogs can kill a cat with one shake. A good big crate isn’t cheap, but neither is a trip to the vet! To avoid all those risks, I recommend these six steps for a safe cat-to-dog introduction.

1. Get ready

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Getting ready to adopt a new puppy? These guidelines are not a complete guide to raising a puppy (there are entire books devoted to that topic!) but will give you some of the basics, to help you prepare for the arrival and first few months of your new puppy. This basic training, socialization, and guidelines can be used starting at the age of 8 weeks, the earliest age at which most people would be bringing a puppy into their home. If your puppy is slightly older, as long as they are under 6 months old, these steps can still be followed. For puppies older than 6 months, many of these tips still apply, but start with our 10 Tips For Welcoming Home Your Newly-Adopted Dog blog article, and stay tuned to this blog for future older puppy & dog training articles here too.

Prepare for puppy’s arrival

Being prepared can mean the difference between getting a good start, or getting started off on the wrong paw. A puppy needs a safe, warm environment. Being raised indoors with as much human contact as possible is critical at this stage.

* Puppy-proof a play area. Puppies will chew everything, from electrical wires to socks and shoes. You need a secure, puppy-proof, enclosed area and a crate for those times you cannot directly supervise your puppy (see our article about crate training for tips). Puppies typically are not housebroken, and should be kept in an area when it is ok to have accidents.

* Establish a daily routine from day one. A puppy feels secure having dinner, playtime, lessons and walks at the same time each day. Also, being left alone all day on Monday after having spent his entire first weekend with you can cause lots of anxiety! If you do bring him home on a weekend, leave him alone for progressively longer periods of time. Schedule your puppy’s feedings so that all meals are fed by 5-6 pm (if you go to bed at 11), and so your puppy drinks very little water after that. Be regular about your (and your puppy’s) bedtime and time getting up in the morning to help your puppy learn to hold it through the night.

* Establish your house rules. If you do not want your adult dog on the furniture or jumping up, do not allow the puppy on the furniture or to jump up. Ask all visitors (and family members!) to follow your house rules. No matter how cute it is when he’s tiny, most people do not want their full grown dog jumping on everyone.

* How you deal with crying, whining and barking. This depends your puppy’s age, temperament and experiences. There are preventative steps you can take for training your puppy not to cry in his crate during the night (which we will detail in our future crate-training blog article) but we’ll mention a key point: The worst thing to do is to let the puppy cry and bark for a long time, and then go get it out or give it attention. When you do that, you teach the puppy to PERSISTENTLY make noise in the crate, because you have shown the puppy that persistence pays! You don’t want to respond quickly to a puppy making noise in the crate, provided you are sure the puppy’s needs have been met.

Teaching basic commands

At the minimum, your dog should learn to come when called, walk on a leash and sit/stay.

* Never repeat a command. Repetition is dulling, and having the puppy ignore you when you say “come here come here come here” is training him NOT to come when called.

* Try saying “come here” in a fun, high tone of voice every time the puppy starts running towards you,and give the puppy lots of rewards/tummy rubs/verbal and food treats whenever he comes running to you.

* Say “Good sit!” every time the puppy sits for the first week. Then begin asking for a sit, and use a treat to lead the puppy by the nose toward you, then put your hand over the puppies head to so he looks up, and backs into a sit (this can take some practice – on your part!). You can also use your other hand or a wall to gently stop the puppy from backing up as you lead the nose up and back. Do not push down on their behind to ‘make’ them sit. You want to teach them to sit on their own!

* If the puppy does something undesirable, you can use a calm, firm “no”, but avoid a harsh tone and never yell and NEVER use physical punishment. Punishment and yelling serve only to make your puppy afraid of you. Cowering does not mean your puppy ‘knows’ he did something wrong, he is just reacting to your voice right at that moment and showing submission. It will not help him learn what is the right thing to do. If your puppy is cowering when you are verbally correcting him, use a softer tone of voice, and focus on rewarding the positive and avoiding/redirecting negative behaviors.

* Be consistent. Always use the same command to elicit the same result. Don’t use the same word to mean two different things. When you say “down” do you mean lie down or get off the counter? When you clap, does that mean “come here” or “stop chewing on that sofa leg”?

* Socialization during a puppy’s early months is critical. Time spent with the family means the puppy will become comfortable with the sights, smells and sounds that people make, and grow up accustomed to them, rather than afraid of them. Puppies can usually be left alone in a puppy-safe area (crate, kitchen, puppy run) for 1-2 hours for every month of age (i.e., a 2 month old puppy can be alone for 2-3 hours). Leaving young puppies alone for too long means they are not being properly socialized. Try to plan your absences during naptime, or play with your puppy to tire him out before leaving. Using safe toys to entertain while you are gone, such as rubber toys stuffed with goodies, can make time alone easier. Crates can make being alone less frightening as well, by giving them a small secure “den”.

What’s next?

With the basic guidelines above, you are off to a good start getting ready for your new puppy! You’ll want to read up on housebreaking, teaching bite inhibition, possibly crate training, and when your puppy is fully vaccinated (usually at 4  months old), walking on leash and exploring the world outside your home. Enroll your puppy in a puppy socialization class, and then follow up with  a good dog obedience class. Dog training and socialization are an ongoing process usually throughout a dog’s adolescence, and are a wonderful way for you and your dog to enjoy time together, and with other dogs.

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You’re thinking about adopting a new pet and are wondering, how much time does a pet need? The answer depends on the type of pet, including but not limited to the breed, age, amount of previous training, other pets & people in your home, and your current activity level and lifestyle. In this article, we’ll help you consider these options, and list different types of pets’ needs. Matching the time a pet will take to the amount of time you want to spend on your pet is a very important part in finding your new best friend!

A good first step is really thinking about your daily routine. How much free time do you have each day that you are willing to devote to the care, training, and attention of your new pet over the next few months, and then for the lifetime of that pet? For social pets like birds, rabbits, dogs, and cats, time spent just “hanging out” with you while you’re watching a movie or reading a book, counts too!

With any human-social pet, babies and youngsters need a LOT more time. Plan on at 1-2 hours extra each day, until the pet is a trained, socialized adult. For example, puppies & kittens generally do best if only left alone (in a safe enclosure) for 1 hour for every 1 month of their age. If they are left alone for longer, socialization and behavior problems can develop as the pet matures.

Will they have a friend? Having a bonded, same-species companion can keep social pets company, reducing their dependence on your time and giving them a much happier life.

Dogs and puppies vary the most in their time requirements, ranging from an adult, already-trained, mellow breed, to a high-energy puppy that would love a jogging companion and another high-energy dog friend.

To help you decide on a pet that will be right for you, we’ve put together a basic “Average Daily Time Needed” guide below. With any pet, if possible, you’ll also want to ask experts (such as their current caregivers) about that particular pet’s needs.

Average Daily Time Needed
1/4 to 1/2 hour: Reptiles, Amphibians, Fish
1/2 to 1 hour: Ferret, Gerbil, Guinea Pig, Hamster, Mouse, Rat, Birds
1-2 hours: Chinchilla, Rabbits, pair of adult Cats
2-3 hours: pair of Kittens (or Kitten & Cat), pair of adult Dogs, single adult Cat
3-4 hours: single adult Dog, or Puppy with trained adult Dog
4-5 hours: single Puppy, or untrained/high-energy adult Dog

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You’ve adopted a new cat or kitten, and want to know how to best introduce him or her to other cats in your home? Depending on their age and personalities, you may take days or months to fully integrate your new cat or kitten to your family pets. Below are some guidelines and helpful tips to get your new feline friendship off to a good start, and hopefully on their way to becoming best buddies for the rest of their lives! (We use the word “cat” below, but you can substitute “kitten” if that applies.)

Generally it’s believed the easiest introduction is when the new cat is younger, smaller, and of the opposite sex, but it really depends on the personalities and experiences of the felines involved. Neutering/spaying of all cats to be introduced is essential, ideally 2-4 weeks before the introduction, so the hormones levels have time to subside.

STEP ONE: ISOLATION

Confine the new cat to one room with its litterbox, food, water, and a bed. Feed your current cat(s) and the newcomer on either side of the door to this room. Don’t put the food so close to the door that the cats are too upset by each other to eat. This will help to start things out on the right foot by associating something enjoyable (eating!) with each others’ presence. Gradually move the dishes closer to the door until the cats can eat calmly directly on either side.

If you have adopted the new cat from an environment (like a shelter) where it was exposed to sicknesses it could be incubating, follow the recommendations of your vet for the duration of this isolation.  Typically, for the most common sickness (Upper Respiratory Infection), it will need to be 7 to 10 days.  That may seem like a long time, but in addition to keeping your resident cat healthy, the new cat will have a chance to get adjusted to his/her environment’s sounds and smells. The chances that the first face to face introduction with your resident cat(s) will go well are improved – which is very important!

STEP TWO: SCENT/SIGHT INTRO

After the 7-10 day isolation period is done, and your new cat is healthy, you can progress to these steps. Progress only when all cats are OK with each other during each step.

1. Switch sleeping blankets between the new cat and resident cats so they have a chance to become accustomed to each other’s scent. Also put the scented blankets underneath the food dishes.

2.  Use two doorstops to prop open the door just enough to allow the cats to see each other (an inch opening) but not get out, and repeat the feeding nearby process.

3. Put the new cat in a secure cat carrier, and open the door so the resident cat can come in and sniff all around the new cat’s room and new cat in carrier.

4. Confine resident cats in another room, and let the new cat explore the rest of the house. This switch provides another way for the cats to have experience with each other’s scent without a face to face meeting. It also allows the newcomer to become familiar with its new surroundings without being frightened by other animals.

STEP THREE: MEETING!

The final moment – the first full meeting!  Open the isolation room door and calmly observe. You may want to have a water squirt bottle in one hand, and a blanket in the other, just in case you need to intervene in a sudden attack. Playing calming music or talking in a calm friendly voice to the cats will help YOU to feel less stressed, which will help the cats too! Hissing, puffy tail posturing, growling are normal, but should be minimal if you have taken the time to follow the steps above as suggested.  It may be that the first meeting is only a few minutes if the hissing/growling starts to escalate.

You want to TRY to avoid any interactions between the cats which result in either fearful or aggressive behavior. If these responses are allowed to become a habit, they can be difficult to change. It’s better to introduce the animals to each other gradually (five minutes more each day) so that neither cat becomes afraid or aggressive. You can expect mild forms of these behaviors, but don’t give them the opportunity to intensify. If either cat becomes fearful or aggressive, separate them, and you may have to take a step or two back (back to feeding on either side of propped open door for example) and slowly move forward when they’ve calmed back down.

Cats can make lots of noise and roll around quite dramatically without either cat being injured. If small spats do occur between the cats, you should not attempt to intervene directly to separate the cats. Instead, use a spray bottle to squirt water on the cats in order to separate them (or if that doesn’t do it, trying to cover and wrap one up in a blanket to get them separated). Give them both a chance to calm down before re-introducing them to each other – like a day or more. Hopefully, none of this will be necessary, but if so, be confident that while cats can take weeks to months to get adjusted, most cats can learn to get along, if not become the best of friends.

Tips for after the first introduction

• keep the second litterbox in the isolation room even after the cats are out together – if you want to move it, do so gradually a few feet at a time to the new location
• clean all the boxes more frequently
• make sure that none of the cats is being “ambushed” by another while trying to use the box
• keep the resident cat’s schedule as close as possible to what it was before the newcomers appearance.
• calming products like Rescue Remedy and Feliway spay (available at pet supply stores) can help de-stress cats

Adopting A New Pet | 1 Comment »

Congratulations! You’ve adopted a dog! Your life is about to be enriched in ways you’ve never dreamed possible. So…now what? Bringing your new dog home is such an exciting and fulfilling experience, but it can be a bit daunting as well, especially if you’ve never shared your home with a furry companion. Here are some tips to get your relationship off on the right foot (or paw, as the case may be)!

1. Be prepared: Before you adopt your dog, know which training method you’re going to use (we love clicker training and other positive-reinforcement techniques) and read up on it so you can employ the philosophy from day one. Research dog care and nutrition in advance as well, and decide which food you’ll feed your dog and how many times a day he’ll eat (usually once or twice). The more prepared you are, the smoother your new family member’s transition will be.

2. Be flexible: While it’s good to be prepared, remember that your new dog is a living being with a mind of his own, and he may well express preferences that run counter to your plans. If the sleeping arrangements you’ve laid out just don’t work for him, you may have to shuffle things around a bit. If the sound of the clicker scares him to death, a different training method may be in order. Maintain a good sense of humor and try not to get exasperated. The transition period won’t last forever. Soon you and your new buddy will have a well-established routine.

3. Shop for the basics: You’ll need a leash, collar, a bed, food and water dishes and, of course, food! It’s a good idea to have these items in place even before you bring your new dog home. One other thing to buy right away: an ID tag! Put the tag on your dog immediately—we can’t stress that enough. By the way, you’ll notice that a crate isn’t on the list of things to buy in advance. If you plan on crate-training, it’s best to take your dog with you when you shop for the crate so you can find the correct size.

4. Make sure all family members are on board: Set some ground rules and make sure everyone in the family agrees to follow and enforce them. For instance, if you don’t want your new pup on the couch, all the training in the world won’t help if your daughter lets him sit there with her when you’re not home. Also, if caring for your dog will be a family effort, be certain everyone understands and agrees to their particular roles and responsibilities.

5. Help your new pal adjust: Over the first few days to a week, your new dog will be going through an adjustment period. You may notice some symptoms of anxiety, including a lack of appetite and suppressed bowel habits. Your dog may even hide under or behind furniture or stay in one particular room for a few days. Don’t be alarmed—this is absolutely normal behavior. By showing your new friend patience and understanding, you’ll be helping him through a tough, scary time and showing him how wonderful his new home really is!

6. Establish a schedule of feeding and walking and be consistent: Try to walk him and feed him at the same times each day, and signal the walkings and feedings with the same key words every time. For instance, right before you feed him, you might say, “Dinner time!” A reliable routine is an important tool in successfully integrating your new dog into your family and helping him feel secure.

7. Set aside time to bond: Spend some quiet time with your dog each day, petting him gently and speaking in a soothing voice. Touch is an incredibly powerful method of communication, one that is almost impossible to misunderstand. Show your dog he’s safe and loved, and your relationship will get off to a beautiful start.

8. Everyone needs time alone: Your dog is no exception! Give him time every day to be alone and to explore his new surroundings. Observe from a distance to make sure he’s safe, but not close enough to intrude on his “me” time.

9. Slowly introduce him to new things and people: We know you’re dying to show your amazing new family member to all of your other family and friends, but take it slowly! A good rule of thumb is to introduce no more than one new person to your dog each day. Also, save the first trip to the dog park for a week or two to avoid overwhelming and confusing him.

10. Get him a tune-up: Schedule a first visit to your dog’s new veterinarian during the first week (or immediately upon adoption if you have other pets at home or suspect your new pup might be ill). Bring any and all medical and vaccine records supplied by the shelter or rescue from which you adopted your dog. Many veterinarians will even provide a free first checkup to folks who adopt a pet! This first visit is a great time to get clues about your dog’s personality and past history, so don’t be afraid to ask lots of questions. Also, have your dog microchipped right away (if he’s not already), so you can be reunited if (gasp!) you ever get separated. True love is hard to replace!

Adopting A New Pet, Doggie Tips, Getting Along with Your Pet, Household Tips, Pet Health and Safety, Raising Your Pet, Uncategorized | No Comments »

This is the first in our series of puppy, dog, and cat behavior articles, to help readers with their newly adopted pets! The method I describe below is for DOG-FRIENDLY adult dogs. If you do not know if your dog is good with other dogs, or has ever shown any type of aggression to another dog (growling, snarling, barking), please do the introduction with a trainer or behaviorist present.

Ideally, you’ll have assessed your household’s current dog(s) before you add a puppy to the mix. Consider the physical condition of your current animals. Many people think getting a puppy will ‘liven up’ their older dog. Most older or calm/quiet dogs are quite content as they are and may be intolerant and very unhappy with a puppy’s boisterous behavior. In multi-dog households, a new puppy can throw off the balance and everyone might need some reminding of their training. A temperament and energy level match for your current pets is usually the best match, but if you do end up with a puppy and older dog, here are some suggestions to get it off to the best start!

- Get ready. Make sure your dog(s) are current on all their vaccinations, including bordatella (kennel cough) especially if the puppy is coming from a shelter or rescue kennel, or has been exposed to other dogs within the last 2 weeks that were from or in a kennel. Get your vet’s recommendations whether total separation (quarantine) is needed and for how long. There are many potentially fatal diseases that puppies can be ‘incubating’ that will not show up for up to two weeks. Also treat your current dogs for fleas and other parasite prevention as recommended by your vet.

- Total separation. Just having the new puppy in the house is enough for your older dog to get used to, without having to deal with the puppy jumping all over him and his toys, bed etc. Try to have the puppy’s starter room be one that your adult dog does not use for sleeping or eating and is puppy-proof (bathrooms work well), or use a crate. Feed, play and train separately, giving equal time to both dogs.

- First introduction. Pick neutral and unfamiliar territory, such as a street or park you don’t usually visit, or if the puppy has not completed his vaccinations yet, ask a neighbor if you can use their yard. All dogs and new puppy should be on leashes. If you have more than one dog already at home, introduce them to the puppy one at a time. Start with the most friendly and submissive of your dogs.

For a really young puppy (4 months and under): start by having a friend (not a family member) holding the puppy in their arms and letting your friendly adult dog take a good sniff. Then separate them, put the puppy down and allow the dogs to approach one another at their own speed. Stay relaxed! The dogs can sense if you are tense. Try to keep the leashes slack at all times. Verbal encouragement, such as “good dogs!” reinforce any good behavior. If the adult dog wants to stay away from the puppy, do not “force” him to say hello. If there is any growling or other signs of aggression, you may need to do a slower introduction, such as walks around the neighborhood together, with the puppy walking behind (not able to touch) the adult dog. If the aggression continues, consult a behaviorist or trainer. If all goes well, allow the dogs to spend five or ten minutes together and then proceed to the next step.

- Short sessions. Going on walks together is a wonderful bonding activity! Even one or two walks a day is enough time together for the first week. If all goes well, you can progress to supervised off-leash access to one another, often after a big walk together, when both will be more relaxed after the excercise. Pick the largest play area possible so the dogs have room to move around. Remove all toys from the mutual play area to avoid possible fights over toys. End the play session if the older dog repeatedly exhibits ‘lay off me’ behavior such as trying to avoid the puppy, showing teeth, or growling/snapping. See next section.

- Allowable behaviors. Especially before the age of 4 months, or if they have not been around other dogs, puppies may not recognize subtle body language signals from adult dogs that they have had enough. Well-socialized adult dogs with good temperaments can set limits with puppies with a growl or lip-curl. These behaviors should be allowed, within reason – once or twice is ok, especially if puppy “learns” and stops the behavior. Do NOT correct an adult dog that is showing “correct” back off signals, but do step in to stop the reason for them: don’t allow your puppy to continue to harass your adult dog with too-rough or unwanted play. Step in and redirect puppy’s teeth onto a toy and get him to play with you instead, or end the play session completely.

For the most part, dogs adjust to puppies over time, but since the consequences of a problem can be severe, it is wise to follow a slow introduction process as outlined above to ensure all goes well with adding a new puppy to your home.

Adopting A New Pet, Doggie Tips, Raising Your Pet | 1 Comment »

If your like many of us, keeping in shape often becomes a tireless and frustrating task. We all know the benefits of exercise and eating healthy. The tricks and secrets being sold in diet plans are numerous. But, have you ever consider that adopting a dog will help improve your health, and drop a few extra pounds?

Puppies are like kids, they bounce around all day learning things, getting into trouble and having fun. Just like a kid, puppies need to burn off all sorts of energy everyday and get plenty of exercise in order to grow into healthy adults. Playing, training, walking and running with your new puppy are all activities that will get you up and moving. Plus, if you adopting a dog you’re saving the life of an animal who otherwise may not have been given the chance of having a loving owner.

Studies have shown owning a pet can reduce stress which will help reduce heart disease, promote family bonding, and reduce loneliness. Turn an otherwise mundane task into an exciting one, your newly adopted pet will pour out lots of love in return! Does a treadmill do that?

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What are the best dog breeds to get along well with children? A few have become well-known as great dog breeds for kids, due to their typically friendly, tolerant personalities. However with any dog, when looking for one compatible with children, there are more important qualities to consider than just their breed. These include: individual temperament, past experiences, training level, activity level, and age of both the dog and child. Remember, it’s never safe to leave a dog unsupervised with toddlers or babies. When you get a new dog or puppy, a slow introduction with the assistance of a trainer is the safest route. That said, here are a few dog breeds that are well-known as great “family” dogs:

• Poodles often do well with children. They are known as one of the most intelligent breeds of dog, and because they come in all sizes, from Toy (10″ or under at the shoulder), Miniature (11-15″) to Standard (over 15″, ranging from 45-70 pounds) a fit can be found for most any age of child.
• Golden Retrievers and Labradors are famous for their love of children. Many will follow children around as if they have adopted the child. They can be very playful and high energy, especially as young dogs, so plenty of exercise and training is key.
• Mixed breed or Mutts – you can always find the perfect combination of traits in a Muttigree dog! Mixed breed dogs are much less likely to display undesirable characteristics of inbred purebreds that can be dangerous with children, and you can focus on the individual and unique personality of the Mutt to find your perfect family dog.

To discover more breeds that do well with children read the article at http://dogs.about.com/od/dogbreeds/qt/dogsforkids.htm

Adopting A New Pet, Doggie Tips, Getting Along with Your Pet, Household Tips, Pet Health and Safety | 1 Comment »

From the brilliant Dr. Pia Salk, who has extensive experience fostering pets: If you can’t adopt a pet but want to get a temporary furry cuddle fix, support the work of your local rescue groups and save lives, then fostering is for you! Fostering is one of the most compassionate and rewarding actions an animal lover can take. The availability of a foster home can make a life-saving difference for a homeless animal. While many people envision rescue groups as having large facilities and a full staff, the reality is more grass roots than that.

Many rescues groups are only able to take in as many needy animals as they have fosters for. Rescue groups work tirelessly to find homes for the animals in their care and to network the ones in municipal shelters, but all too often the time needed to find a home exceeds the time an animal has left. Foster homes provide the critical time needed to connect the dots between an animal in need and an adoptive home.

Foster homes help not only by saving lives, but in other ways too. By getting to know a pet’s personality, a foster helps the rescue group properly place that pet into a suitable home. A brief stint in a safe environment can also help provide the socialization needed to facilitate a smoother transition into a new home.

And let’s not forget the fun part! A foster parent gets to have a furry fix for a stint without the life-long commitment that may not suit their lifestyle.It’s like getting to spoil your niece and nephew when they come to visit!

Anyone interested in exploring foster should contact a few rescue groups in their area (click here to find rescues near you). The rescue can share info on their requirements and schedule a time for a home visit. Ask them to help you establish the kinds of animals you can accommodate and a time commitment that meets your lifestyle. If you’re partial to a certain breed, you can also consider fostering for a breed rescue.

You can also sign up to volunteer on Adopt-a-Pet.com’s volunteer registry, and select “Fostering” as one of your interests.

What a great way to advocate for the animals!

Happy fostering!

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