Many college students have the desire to get a pet but won’t pursue getting one because of the physical and financial responsibility that comes with being a pet owner. This is one reason why fostering a pet is a great alternative for college students. Fostering an animal only equates to about a week of responsibility, but you still get the full enjoyment of having a pet in your home. To learn more about fostering, keep reading!
Where to start?
- Apply to be a foster parent on your local humane society or animal shelter website. You will be notified when you are either approved or denied fostering.
- If approved, go back to the website to view a list of animals available to foster.
- Look for personality descriptions of the pets so you can pick one you’re most compatible with.
- Pick the pet you wish to foster! The shelter will let you know when you can pick them up.
The day that you pick up your pet they will give you everything you need for the animal; food, bowls, kennel, toys, treats etcetera! They will also give you instructions on their meal schedule, bathroom schedule, and how long they can be left alone. If you have any questions during the period you are fostering, the shelter/humane society are always there to help if you call!
Benefits of Fostering
Most of the animals in humane societies and shelters are lacking one-on-one attention since there are so many of them in the facilities. Fostering helps these pets to get attention and love while being socialized, and it’s a great way for us college students to get some extra companionship! Fostering is also beneficial for those who have thought about adopting a pet but were unsure if they could handle the responsibility. It’s sort of like a trial run to see if you can properly take care of an animal. Sometimes fostering leads people to end up adopting that pet after fostering it, which is one of the best outcomes of fostering a dog.
