Pasadena Humane

1. Is this Program Currently Accepting Volunteers? Yes! At the moment, the biggest need for fosters is with the shelter's large dog population. Also, kitten season (April-Sept.~) is just around the corner, so more opportunities will arise. 2. Program Description and Goals The Foster Program provides temporary, loving homes for animals in need, giving them the care, socialization, and medical support necessary before they are ready for adoption. Foster volunteers play a critical role in helping vulnerable animals thrive outside of the shelter environment, reducing stress, increasing adoptability, and making space for more animals in need. 🐾 Provide individualized care for kittens, puppies, senior pets, or animals recovering from illness, injury, or surgery. 🐾 Improve socialization and behavior by exposing animals to a home environment, making them more adoptable. 🐾 Reduce shelter overcrowding by expanding our ability to care for animals beyond shelter capacity. 🐾 Support special cases such as neonatal kittens, shy or fearful animals, or pets with medical needs. 🐾 Facilitate adoptions by providing foster caregivers with tools to promote and match their foster animals with adopters. 3. How Does this Program Help the Shelter? The Foster Program is a vital extension of the shelter’s capacity, benefiting both the animals and the organization in several key ways: 🐾 Reduces Shelter Overcrowding – By placing animals in foster homes, more space is available in the shelter for incoming rescues and urgent cases. 🐾 Improves Animal Welfare & Outcomes – Animals in foster care experience less stress, reducing illness and behavioral issues, which increases their chances of adoption. 🐾 Saves Lives – Neonatal kittens, sick or injured animals, and those with special needs receive dedicated care that would be difficult to provide in a shelter setting. 🐾 Increases Adoptions – Foster caregivers help promote animals in their care, often leading to faster adoptions through personal networks and social media. 🐾 Supports Special Cases – Animals needing extra socialization, medical recovery, or behavioral training benefit from individualized attention. 🐾 Enhances Community Engagement – The program brings the community into the shelter’s mission, turning volunteers into advocates and long-term supporters. 4. Position Outline Every foster arrangement and timeline is different depending on the type/species and age of the animal/s. For litters of kittens, it is usually a few weeks that foster volunteers will care for the animals, and then be brought back to the shelter for surgery and adoption. For adult cats and dogs, the timeline is a bit less defined. Once the online training modules have been completed, foster volunteers will be put in contact with the Foster Department to determine the best animal match and timeline. 5. Skills and Requirements 🐾 Patience & Compassion – Ability to care for animals with different needs, personalities, and medical conditions. 🐾 Basic Animal Care Knowledge – Willingness to learn about feeding, grooming, socialization, and recognizing health concerns. 🐾 Time & Availability – Ability to dedicate time for daily care, feeding, and monitoring, depending on the animal’s needs. 🐾 Problem-Solving & Adaptability – Quick thinking when handling unexpected situations, such as illness or behavioral challenges. 🐾 Communication Skills – Responsiveness in providing updates to the shelter and coordinating medical visits or adoption placements. 🐾 Commitment to Shelter Policies – Adherence to foster care guidelines, veterinary instructions, and adoption protocols. ✅ Stable & Pet-Safe Environment – A secure home with space to accommodate a foster pet. ✅ Reliable Transportation – Ability to bring animals to medical appointments at the shelter, adoption events, or shelter check-ins as needed. ✅ Ability to Follow Care Instructions – Administering medications, special diets, or behavioral training as required. ✅ Age Requirement – Must meet the minimum age of 18 ✅ Willingness to Attend Orientation & Training – Completion of foster program onboarding and any required workshops. ✅ Commitment to the Foster Term – Flexibility to foster for the recommended duration (e.g., weeks to months, depending on the animal’s needs). 6. How to Get Involved Volunteers who are interested solely in helping with the Foster program do not need to attend the Meet & Greet session. Prospective volunteers can start on the online training modules and then, when completed, reach out to the Volunteer Services department, volunteer@pasadenahumane.org, to then be connected with the Foster Department. - STEP 1: Once you are on the Foster Care project page, click the blue "VOLUNTEER" button below to access and complete the online Foster Care training modules! The modules include: Infectious Disease Management Training & Foster Care Training. If you are not already signed into your volunteer profile, please sign in after clicking the "VOLUNTEER" button and then click on the red "APPLY NOW" button to begin the online training modules. Please note, you will be prompted to complete the Fear Free Shelters Certification. Please skip this step if you are interested in fostering cats/kittens ONLY. If you are interested in fostering dogs, please complete the Fear Free Shelters certification. The steps to complete the Fear Free Shelters Certification are also included below for your reference. - STEP 2: Fear Free Shelters Certification (please skip this step if you are interested in fostering cats/kittens only). If you are interested in fostering dogs, please complete the Fear Free Shelters certification by following these steps: 1. Download the Volunteer Verification form and fill in with your information: https://pasadenahumanesociety-my.sharepoint.com/:f:/g/personal/cbriffett_pasadenahumane_org/Esej3puqrshAuZd5pk1bHi4BYbRLbSB8eXcQOq_R6Qa04Q?e=zCgvsC 2. Use this completed verification form to register on the Fear Free Shelter website when prompted: https://fearfreeshelters.com/register/ - STEP 3: Email volunteer@pasadenahumane.org to let us know that you are done with training! If you are interested in fostering dogs, please attach your Fear Free Shelter certificate to this email if you have not already uploaded it to your account. 7. Benefits to Volunteer Fostering provides a rewarding experience that benefits both the animals and the volunteers who care for them. 🐾 Make a Life-Saving Impact – Directly help animals in need, giving them a safe and loving environment. 🐾 Enjoy Animal Companionship – Experience the joy of having a pet without the long-term commitment. 🐾 Emotional Fulfillment – Witness the transformation of animals from scared or sick to happy and adoptable. 🐾 Learn More About Animal Care – Gain hands-on experience with feeding, medical care, and socialization. 📚 Training & Skill Development – Learn about feline/canine behavior, medical care, and enrichment techniques. 📚 Career Exploration – Great for those considering veterinary work, animal welfare, or nonprofit involvement. 📚 Community Service Hours – Fulfill volunteer or school service requirements.