Foster a Pet Save a Life
Fostering means temporarily caring for a pet in need. Most foster homes take in cats or dogs from shelters or rescues until they’re adopted. Some pets may be recovering from illness or surgery, while others need a break when shelters are full. You can also be a safety net foster, helping owned pets while their families face challenges like hospitalization or eviction.
We Provide
You Provide
Pet Food
No need to take a trip to the pet store! We will provide you with all the food and bowls you may need!
Love and Care
Having a foster pet in your home means giving them all the love and care they need!
Veterinary Care
Thanks to our amazing Kennel staff and Clinic staff, all vet care for your foster pet is covered, and will happen right here at HSEC!
Transportation
You may be required to bring your foster pet to the shelter for vet checkups, vaccinations, or adoption meet and greets.
All Supplies
Having a pet means having many items! In addition to food and vet care, we will give you a collar, harness, and leash for a dog, litter and a litter box for a cat, and anything you’ll need. This may toys, treats, towels and blankets, a crate, and more!
Publicity
By posting your foster pet on social media, bringing the animal to pet-friendly locations, and all-around showcasing how awesome your foster pet is, you increase the likelihood of your pet finding a home sooner. The more you brag, the sooner they can find a family of their own!
Fostering FAQs
Why should I foster for HSEC?
The Humane Society of Elkhart County takes in approximately 97 animals each week, and in 2024, we provided care for a total of 5,038 animals. Our staff works tirelessly to care for all of the incoming animals, but shelter space and resources are limited. Placing animals into foster care frees up much needed cat and dog kennels and allows our facility to provide care and attention to new animals entering our system daily. The additional support that foster homes offer is essential to our mission. Whether it’s caring for orphaned kittens requiring constant bottle feeding, providing a safe and calm environment for a dog overcoming fear, or offering a nurturing space for injured animals to heal. Foster terms can range from a few days or weeks to a month or more, depending on the preferences of the foster parent and the needs of the animal. We are always in need of foster homes for the most at risk animal populations, including:
- Moms with nursing kittens or puppies
- Orphaned kittens or puppies
- Animals that are too young for their spay/neuter
- Animals recovering from surgery, or who are sick
- Animals who need behavior training or socialization
- Animals too shy or timid in the adoption center environment.
Currently, our foster care program is exclusively for animals within our shelter. We are unable to accept animals owned by individuals outside of our program.
Why is fostering important?
Fostering saves lives. Families take in a pet who would otherwise be in the shelter, thereby freeing up much-needed space for another pet who has no other safe place to go. This saves the life of the pet in foster, and the pet who takes their place at the shelter. Shelter life increases stress, chance of disease, and can have major effects on a pet’s emotional state and quality of life. Fostering also keeps families together. Our safety net fosters ensure that owned pets are not permanently separated from their families because of hospitalization, eviction, or some other crisis. Instead, they are cared for in a foster home until they can be reunited with the people who love them.
Do I have to pay to foster a pet?
Nope! Fostering is not just fun, rewarding, and essential—it is also completely free! Unless the foster is interested in covering the costs, HSEC covers the cost of food, supplies, and veterinary care. Fosters just have to provide a safe and loving temporary home for the pet.
How long will I be expected to foster?
This will depend on the shelter’s needs and your availability. Animals are generally in foster care for anywhere from 1-6 months depending on the foster’s availability! Kitten fosters generally foster for 4-8 weeks, or until the kittens are old enough to be spayed and neutered.
Can I adopt my foster pet?
Absolutely! It is estimated 44% of pets fostered are adopted by their foster families.
Which pets are available for fostering?
Almost every pet coming into the Humane Society of Elkhart County is eligible to go into a foster home. Once you are enrolled in the foster program, you can reach out any time if you’d like to foster a pet you see on our website or social media. We also have pets needing foster care who are owned pets that are part of our safety net fostering program, and who will be fostered while their families get back on their feet. Our foster coordinator will reach out to our amazing foster volunteers, to let you know about the pets for whom we are looking for foster homes!
Can my foster interact with my pets?
All foster animals should be kept separate from your resident pets if they are undergoing treatment for potentially contagious illnesses, such as Kennel Cough or Upper Respiratory Illness. This precaution helps to prevent the transmission of both known and unknown illnesses to your resident animals. Animals in foster care for socialization purposes or non-contagious medical issues are encouraged to engage and socialize with other pets. Always remember to supervise interactions between foster animals and resident pets.
What if I have more questions?
Have more questions about fostering? Want to foster, but need help learning how to bottle feed? Click the link below to schedule a time to meet with Kayla Miller, our Foster Coordinator!