If you live in Butte County and love dogs, the Butte Humane Society is asking you to consider fostering one.
The animal shelter recently reached capacity and announced that it doesn’t have enough space for incoming dogs.
Now, the organization is turning to residents to help. It recently asked for people to consider offering a temporary home to a shelter dog through fostering.
Executive Director Emily Acevedo said fostering an animal is one of the most selfless gifts a person can give.
“It gives them a temporary reprieve from the shelter, but it also opens up their kennel for another dog to be able to come in who might be out of time at the shelter they're at,” Acevedo said.
The process begins with an application. This helps the organization get to know the person who is considering fostering, including the types of dogs they’re looking for and if they have other animals in their home. This information helps ensure the best possible match, Acevedo said.
“The way that we can really maximize our footprint and our availability to take in other dogs ... is through foster. Because at the end of the day, our kennel space is finite.”Emily Acevedo, executive director of Butte Humane Society
“Then, you would come in to meet the dog that you're interested in fostering, and as long as you're still interested in moving forward, we send them home with you,” Acevedo said.
Providing temporary foster care can significantly impact a dog's life, she said, offering security and comfort while the shelter works to find it its forever home.
“The way that we can really maximize our footprint and our availability to take in other dogs who are at overcrowded regional shelters is through foster, because at the end of the day, our kennel space is finite,” Acevedo said.
The shelter can be a stressful environment, she said. While many dogs and cats are adopted immediately, others wait longer.
Fostering a pet can give them a much-needed break from the shelter and help prepare them for future adoption.
The foster animal’s food, supplies and veterinary care are all provided. The foster family is only responsible for providing a temporary home.
“Even if you were to take on a dog who is actively on a prescription medication or has some type of extenuating need while they're in foster care, we take care of all those expenses,” Acevedo said.
The organization typically sees higher foster availability when Chico State is in session. Acevedo said that students often have a broader range of availability. Foster numbers drop during school breaks, which is when it's critical for the organization to focus on community members who may not realize the need for fosters.
“We can use fosters 365 days a year,” Acevedo said.
The Butte Humane Society also offers a hospice service for elderly or terminally ill animals who aren't expected to live more than a few months.
“Even if you were to take on a dog who is actively on a prescription medication or has some type of extenuating need while they're in foster care, we take care of all those expenses.”Emily Acevedo, executive director of Butte Humane Society
The organization said their foster families can also open their homes to provide comfort and the best quality-of-life care until the end.
“It takes a very unique and special person to understand that you're taking in an animal with the goal of giving them a really good end-of-life experience,” Acevedo said. “Because it's so emotional when you lose a pet. I think anybody who has been through either having a pet pass away or having to make a euthanasia decision understands how emotional that can be.”
Ultimately, the organization is looking for people who have a desire to foster. They emphasize that fostering is more than just bringing a dog home, as some dogs require more attention than others.
“What we really look for, and we treat this the same as we would treat somebody who's looking to come to adopt, is like, what does your lifestyle look like? What are the things that you're looking for in a foster animal? And then let's find a foster animal who fits within that,” Acevedo said.
If the organization reaches capacity, they will have to suspend intake.
They keep a waitlist for owner surrenders and start rescheduling intakes when space becomes available from both the waitlist, and also from shelters looking to transfer animals to them.
