PLEASE READ: THIS FOSTER APPLICATION IS FOR POLK COUNTY, FLORIDA. IF YOU ARE OUT OF AREA, PLEASE CONTACT YOUR LOCAL SHELTER TO FOSTER. SPCA FLORIDA’S FOSTER PROGRAM CAN ONLY USE LOCAL RESIDENTS’ HELP.
Ready to make a difference in the life of a special pet?
Every year, SPCA Florida’s Foster Caregiver Program provides temporary homes to more than 800 animals that:
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Are too young
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Are currently being treated for illness or injury
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Need socialization with other people or animals
Fostering 101
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WHAT is a foster? A foster is a person who has the strength to give a special animal a temporary spot in their home where they can feel loved and safe to help them thrive and become adoptable. Foster families provide animals TLC and one-on-one attention before they are adopted.
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WHY foster? Ill or injured pets will recuperate better in a calm and nurturing foster home as opposed to the already overburdened shelter environment. Oftentimes, especially during Kitten Season, there are simply too many homeless pets and not enough shelter space. Without fosters many homeless animals would have to be humanely euthanized. Becoming a foster caregiver for SPCA Florida is just as rewarding to the caregiver as it is to the shelter. Pets are given the opportunity to flourish in an environment other than the shelter. This allows us to provide even more homes for animals that need to be adopted.
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WHO can foster? Anyone over 18 years old. As long as you can provide care, shelter and love, you can be animal foster parent. Fostering is ideal for people who are unable to commit to an animal of their own due to extension travel or current living arrangements. Potential emotional challenges include adoption, illness, death, or in some cases humane euthanasia of a foster animal.
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WHEN to foster? Now! Almost every day SPCA Florida takes in animals that need fostering. If they are too young, too sick or too scared to be adopted, you could make a difference in their future.
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WHAT is provided to foster caregivers? SPCA Florida provides all training, supplies and medical care. You will be given the opportunity to visit with the animals and learn more about their specific needs. If they need medicine, you will be shown how to administer and store it. You will be given any necessary supplies to care for the animal during their stay in your home. All you need to supply is transportation, love and care.
How do I become a foster caregiver?
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Make sure your schedule is ideal for fostering. Foster pets, especially bottle babies, require a significant time commitment so please make sure you consider your professional and personal obligations and speak with the Foster Caregiver about how much time your specific fosters will require.
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Make sure your home is ideal for fostering. We suggest foster have an area already selected where they will eat and sleep. This can be a guest room or the kitchen, even a large bathroom can be used to slowly introduce an animal to your home. Allowing your new foster too much room to roam is not usually the best scenario. A secure, secluded location allows the animal to get acquainted to the new surroundings a little at a time. If you have pets at home, make sure to keep them separate from your fosters at first.
Download our 2020 Foster Brochure!
Becoming a foster caregiver is an amazing experience where you get to take part in saving the lives of animals. If you are an animal lover looking to make a difference in the life of a deserving animal that needs you, get started and become a foster caregiver today!
If you are fostering kittens, it is a rewarding experience, but the little ones can also pose unexpected challenges. We have collected resources to help you on your way to success.
The "Apply Now" button will take you to our foster orientation, and the last page has a link to the sign-up form.
SPCA Florida can NOT award community service hours for middle/high school students through fostering.