Along with tons of other rescues, A.P.E. relies solely on fosters to house our animals – though we take care of vetting and all logistics, we have no “main building” in which to put adoptable animals.  For this reason, our fosters are absolutely essential to the organization; we literally could not exist without them.  Most of the staff and volunteers here at A.P.E. are fosters, and there truly is no more rewarding experience.

We’re going to be honest with you here:  we need your help.  We need more of our amazing supporters to sign up to become fosters.  Within the past few weeks, we have become overloaded with animals in need, and we’ve found that we just don’t have enough fosters to help them all.  Unfortunately, A.P.E. has had to undergo an intake freeze, simply because we don’t have anywhere to put these animals that need us so badly.  We never know when emergencies may pop up, and we need more individuals that we can turn to when we’re in a bind.

We understand that fostering can seem daunting at first.  But the benefits of fostering far outweigh any drawbacks you may be able to think of, and many first-time fosters find themselves falling in love with fostering and end up doing it for the rest of their lives!  So here’s why YOU should sign up to foster today!

Fostering means the dog or cat doesn’t have to be in a shelter environment.  Being in a noisy shelter is incredibly stressful for an animal.  Not only are they scared in an unfamiliar place, there are strange sounds and smells all around them, and most of the time they’re behind bars.  Foster homes allow them to be in a comfortable home where they have regular human attention and a cozy place to sleep.  And, by fostering a shelter animal, you are essentially saving a life, as it frees up space in the shelter to bring in another animal.

Fostering increases an animal’s chances of being adopted.  Lots of animals don’t “show” well in a shelter environment.  Dogs not used to being behind bars may bark, jump, and act very anxious…but in a home environment, they are completely calm and relaxed.  Kitties may hiss and scratch when they’re in the shelter surrounded by other cats…but in a foster home, they could be totally loving and happy being an only cat.  When a potential adopter visits an animal that’s being fostered, chances are that the animal’s personality will come through a lot more than it would in a shelter.

Fostering allows an animal to become more socialized…which is absolutely necessary if they are going to get adopted out quickly.  The more socialized a dog or cat is, the better!  In a home, they are more likely to come into contact with children, strangers, and other animals and get used to being around them all.

Fostering helps the shelter/rescue organization learn more about an animal’s personality.  They may have had no idea that a certain dog seemed skittish around men, or that a cat has shown signs of being aggressive toward other cats.  Fosters help them learn such things, which help them find the perfect home for that animal’s needs.

Fostering is flexible and not a huge commitment.  You can choose what kind of animal you’d like to foster – newborn kittens?  Pregnant mamas?  Elderly dogs?  Special needs cats?  You decide what’s best for you and your home.  Unless you are a “fospice” (foster/hospice) home, fostering an animal is temporary, and the rescue organization covers costs and vet care.

Being a foster fail is actually an amazing thing!  “Foster fails” are those who have fallen head over heels for their foster dog or cat, so much so that they’ve decided to keep them!  It’s a win-win for all involved.

Fostering feels great!  You are saving a life and giving a crazy amount of love and care to an animal who may never have had that before – how could that possibly be a bad thing?!

All of the wonderful photos you see here feature A.P.E. animals that have benefited from being in a foster home environment.

Are you convinced yet?  Are you ready to become a foster?  Click this link to fill out our foster home application.  Trust us, you’ll fall in love with fostering!

Check out these helpful links:  PetSafe, Huffington Post, PetFinder Dog, PetFinder Cat