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The Animal Welfare League of Alexandria’s Vola Lawson Animal Shelter is spacious, light-filled and humming with caring humans. But for some animals, it’s a stressful place to spend time.
For those dogs, cats and small mammals, living in a foster home can give them the safe and comfortable environment they need to heal from medical care or grow up a bit before going to their forever home.
Sometimes, fosters are with families for just a weekend, but sometimes care can last for weeks or months. Alexandria resident Bonny McMahon routinely fosters some of the AWLA’s most vulnerable animals, including newborn kittens, who sometimes arrive in her Rose Hill home with their mom.
“I foster because every animal deserves a life of security, warmth, nutrition and love — just as we all do,” McMahon said. Sadly, sometimes those kittens get sick and don’t survive, even with the best care from veterinarians. “That is heartbreaking, but I take comfort in knowing I was able to provide love and comfort in the time that they were with me,” McMahon said.
On the flip side: “The best part of fostering is every moment watching the little ones grow and thrive,” she said.
The AWLA and several other rescue organizations are constantly looking for foster homes for animals in need. If this is something you’re considering in the new year, we posed a few questions to the AWLA's Erin Shackelford to help you get started.
What qualities or amenities should the family have?
This can vary widely, but more than anything, the foster family should have a little extra love to give! From there, things like patience and understanding can go a long way in accepting a foster animal into your home, especially if that animal is facing a medical or behavioral issue. A spare bedroom, laundry room or bathroom can also be handy if you have existing pets and the foster animal needs to be kept separate to avoid the spread of germs.
Access to transportation is also important because foster animals often need to return to the shelter for medication or veterinary appointments. Because there are a wide range of foster opportunities (kittens, cats, dogs, puppies, rabbits and more), each foster animal will have unique needs. Our foster team works with interested families to find animals that will work for their lifestyle and living situation.
Here at the AWLA, we are always searching for foster homes that have the ability to foster large dogs and dogs that need to be in a single-pet household.
What does AWLA provide to foster families?
We provide families with all required supplies (including things like crates, litter, food, toys, and more) for their foster animal. We also provide all medical care needed for the animal while they are in the foster home. Our foster team also is available to answer questions, provide information and feedback, and otherwise assist the foster family with caring for the animal.
How do you avoid being a "foster failure"? (i.e. How do you avoid keeping the dog or cat for yourself?)
We don’t consider adopting a foster animal a failure! There is nothing negative or wrong about providing a home to an animal in need. However, we do understand that everyone has limited room in their home and life for additional animals, so often when a foster adopts an animal, that may limit or eliminate their ability to foster future animals.
It’s important to remember when you begin fostering animals that the goal is "goodbye." It is your goal to help prepare that animal for a happy, healthy life with a new family. While it can be sad to see them go, we promise the good feelings you get from helping them on their journey is well worth it!
For more information on fostering for the AWLA, visit alexandriaanimals.org/ fostering.
