Become a CLAWS Foster Home

What kind of home makes a good dog or cat foster home? Yours! You don't have to have a huge house with 10 acres fenced-in, or be a professional dog trainer or even a "cat lady" to be a great temporary home for a puppy, dog, cat or kitten down on his or her luck.

Perhaps you'll see yourself in one of these fostering scenarios. If so, please go to our Volunteer Application to apply as a foster home.

Val

When I grew up I always had dogs. I never had a cat and really did not know much about them. In the summer of 2005, I went on a rescue mission with another CLAWS volunteer. We rescued 4 very sickly kittens. We took them straight to the vet. The little girl of the bunch had been attacked and had a large gash on her head. My friend asked me (since I am a nurse) if I would take her. I had her for a couple of months. It was a long, slow process but she trusted me and knew that I was trying to help her. I found her a wonderful new home.

Thus began my new role as a foster mom. These kittens give back the love you give them 10 times over. It is a good feeling when you spiff them up and they look and feel so much better. People always ask me how I can give them up after having them. But I get so much satisfaction from the fact that I have found them a new home.

I keep in touch with many of my adoptive families to check up on the kittens health & progress. It's always a happy ending.

 Stephen

One stormy night, Stephen rescued 3 kittens from the storm drain in his apartment complex. He and his mom, Debi are already a foster family for CLAWS. So they began another round of fostering and kept one kitten, Savannah.  They enjoy fostering as a family.

 Emily

I decided to become a foster family for CLAWS because I felt it was a great opportunity to help out in my community. I love animals and I am hoping to become a veterinarian.

My first foster pets were two black and white four week old kittens. When I saw them, they just melted my heart. It was a lot of fun raising them and I learned a lot about taking care of something so small. It takes a lot of work and love to shape them so they become adoptable.

It was very hard when they were adopted because my family and I have grown so attached to every kitten we took care of. Even though we miss all the kittens we fostered, we know they went to wonderful homes where they will be loved.

 If you are thinking about fostering, you may think it is a lot of work but in reality when you love them and you are dedicated to what you are doing it isn’t work. Fostering is a great experience and each pair of kittens holds a special memory because each kitten has different personalities.