| Our Foster Program was started to help
the stray and abandoned animals of Grainger County
that would have otherwise remained on the street or
have been taken to shelters in other counties.
Since shelters in surrounding counties do not always
accept animals from outside their county, Grainger
County animals truly had no place to turn.
A foster is simply a volunteer who donates space in
their home and their time in caring for a humane
society animal. The animal may be in foster care
a short time before adoption or a long time if medical
care or training/socialization is required, or if the
animal is older and more difficult to place with an
adopted family.
The humane society evaluates all animals in foster
care monthly (either by home visits or regular foster
care reports). Animals that remain in foster
care longer than 3 months (after becoming available
for adoption) are re-evaluated monthly and their
specific situation is considered and adjustments are
made.
The space we have for animals is limited to the
number of foster care providers and the room they make
in their homes and on their property for
kennels. Currently we have no strict guidelines
as to the number of foster care animals permitted in
one household, but guidelines are established which
evaluate the age of the animals (litters of pups
versus adult animals), the temperament of the animals,
and the overall care required for that
animal.
The majority of foster care is currently provided
for dogs as cats require specific space inside a home,
and that space is very limited. Cats are also
more difficult to adopt, as they do not travel well to
adoption events and stress easily. Currently we
have no fosters for cats.
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