“Taking care of bottle babies can be grueling work, but it’s also very rewarding as you will help these babies flourish and develop their own personalities,” says AAWL (photo by Kathryn M. Miller).

According to the Arizona Animal Welfare League & SPCA (AAWL), close to 2,000 animals at risk for euthanasia at other shelters but who were not yet ready to be put up for adoption, were saved by fostering.

The organization says that fostering is a safe, cost-effective alternative to the stressful shelter environment, and it helps AAWL save even more lives. And they are looking for dedicated foster families to care for homeless animals until they are ready to find their forever homes.

Fostering opportunities include neonate kittens and puppies/nursing moms program, where families take in kittens and puppies to nurse them back to health until they are strong enough to be put up for adoption. Sometimes a nursing mom just needs somewhere safe and warm to take care of her babies while they grow. Other times, foster families are needed to help bottle feed orphan kittens or puppies until they can eat on their own.

The organization says, “Taking care of bottle babies can be grueling work, but it’s also very rewarding as you will help these babies flourish and develop their own personalities.”

Other foster programs include medical fosters, who help vulnerable animals recover in a safe environment, and the Homeward Bound program, for shy animals who don’t do well in a shelter environment.

Interested residents can fill out a foster application, or view pets currently available to foster on the AAWL website: www.aawl.org/foster.

 

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