Top Reasons to Become a Foster Parent

• It's fun and rewarding to give a temporary home to animals in need!
• You may want to help KHS, but can't make it into the shelter consistently.
• You can help an animal recover from illness or injury in a quiet home environment.
• You can help an animal get adapted to a home life, build self esteem and increase the chance of successful adoption.
• It gives you a pet fix without long term commitment.
• You get to evaluate the animal's health and behavior, so the potential adopter has more information about the pet, thus making a better match.
• It's rewarding to see animals' love and trust again, due to your nurturing and training.
• The animal gets a much needed cage break from the hustle and bustle of the shelter.
• Fostering provides much needed socialization for young animals.
• You can observe the difference a non-shelter environment makes.
• Foster One, Save One: When animals are placed in foster care, more shelter space opens up for us to rescue more animals.

How To Become A Foster Parent

KHS is expanding our foster care program and is in need of foster volunteers! By taking a foster animal into your home on a temporary basis, the animal is given the opportunity to adjust to a home environment, given additional time to find a permanent home and more room is available at the shelter for another in need. Foster parents must be 18 years of age or older, or 16/17 years of age with written approval from a parent or legal guardian.

Becoming a foster parent is easy! The length of fostering can vary from a few days to a few months depending on the amount of care and behavior modification needed. The devotion and care during this time allows the animal a second chance for adoption to a loving home.

Animals are in need of foster care for the following reasons: Much needed time away from the kennel environment, medical care, hospice care, kennel space, behavior, bottle baby care, pregnant moms or moms with puppies or kittens, orphan puppies or kittens.

If interested in becoming part of the Kitsap Humane Society Foster Network, follow the steps below:

Step 1: Fill out an application to become part of the Foster Care Program and bring it to KHS.
*Foster Care Application*

Step 2: Foster candidates will be contacted by E-MAIL to set up a time to come into the shelter for an interview with the Foster Care Coordinator. Please note that it may take up to two weeks to receive this e-mail, and be sure to check your spam folder. Please review the PowerPoint training presentation and manual (below) as we will be going over policies and procedures.

We strongly recommend attending a volunteer orientation or any of the foster program meet-ups in order to gain more information and network with other foster volunteers.

Step 3: Begin getting e-mails about animals in need of a foster home.  Start fostering!

Should you have any questions, please e-mail our Foster Care Coordinator, at foster@kitsap-humane.org or contact by phone at (360) 692-6977, ext. 1207.

Download Foster Parent Manual

Download Foster Parent Training (Powerpoint)

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Helpful Links:

Becoming a Foster Parent: Are You Ready?

Kitten and Bottle Baby Handbook

Disinfecting Tips

Bleach Dilution

Fecal Scoring Chart

Bottle Baby Feeding (with pictures)

Kitten Socializing

Helping A Fearful Cat

Dr. Sophia Lin's Animal Behavior Blog

Fearful Dog Resources