Foster an Animal
Foster an animal and save a life
Thank you for your interest in fostering with Solas Rescue! Fostering saves lives by providing cats and kittens with a safe, loving environment while they prepare for adoption. Whether you can foster bottle babies, a mom with kittens, or an adult cat, every foster home makes a difference.
Our greatest foster needs are:
- Momma cats with litters
- Orphaned kittens
- Older cats that might need their own quiet space
Fostering is flexible enough for most lifestyles. SOLAS will custom-match the animals to each foster home. By offering your time, energy, and home to an animal in need, you prepare it for adoption into a permanent home and give another cat a second chance at a life of love. Solas Rescue is always looking for more foster homes, especially throughout the busy spring and summer seasons.
Solas Rescue provides all veterinary care and medicine for foster animals, supplies such as cat litter and food, and plenty of support by our foster parent volunteers.
Foster parent volunteers provide: space, love and time.
How Foster Care Works
- When Solas Rescue has a request to take in a cat, we send a message to all foster parent volunteers. As we have no facility, we can only accept cats with a confirmed foster space.
- No foster is required to take any cat(s). It’s 100% the foster’s choice who they take in and when.
- Once a foster agrees to take in a cat, they will be provided with information and assistance on how to get the cat and its basic needs.
- Foster parents are expected to transport the foster to the vet as needed, whether for an injury, illness, or spay/neuter appointment. Under special circumstances, assistance with transportation can be arranged.
- When the animal is ready for adoption, the foster family is encouraged to take photos and create a bio of the animal, its needs, wants, special quirks, etc. This will be posted online.
- The foster can decide if they wish to be involved in the process of choosing an adopter.
If you are interested in volunteering with SOLAS, please complete our foster application or send us a message with any questions! Foster@solasrescue.org
Your Guide to Solas Fostering
What items does Solas Rescue provide to fosters
What items does Solas Rescue provide to fosters?
For basic supplies, Solas provides food, litter, a litter box, a scoop, a food/water bowl, and other specialized items needed by the animal being fostered.
Solas also provides a stock of basic intake meds, including medications for fleas, worms, and intestinal parasite prophylaxis, including instructions on how to use them for all fosters. We also have a stock of other commonly needed medications that we can provide as needed.
We also have a website that contains all the information a foster needs, from the intake process to adoption paperwork. There are downloadable copies for those who prefer paper.
For basic supplies, Solas provides food, litter, a litter box, a scoop, a food/water bowl, and other specialized items needed by the animal being fostered.
Solas also provides a stock of basic intake meds, including medications for fleas, worms, and intestinal parasite prophylaxis, including instructions on how to use them for all fosters. We also have a stock of other commonly needed medications that we can provide as needed.
We also have a website that contains all the information a foster needs, from the intake process to adoption paperwork. There are downloadable copies for those who prefer paper.
What is required to be a foster?
What is required to be a foster?
Fostering doesn’t require special training—just a safe space, a little time, and a lot of love. You are required to have a safe quarantine space. You are welcome to integrate the fosters into your household eventually, but to protect your own pets, we ask that they remain separate during a
quarantine period.
Fosters are asked to transport the animals to any needed vet appointments, provide for daily care and socialization, and take photos and create bios for adoption postings.
Fostering doesn’t require special training—just a safe space, a little time, and a lot of love. You are required to have a safe quarantine space. You are welcome to integrate the fosters into your household eventually, but to protect your own pets, we ask that they remain separate during a
quarantine period.
Fosters are asked to transport the animals to any needed vet appointments, provide for daily care and socialization, and take photos and create bios for adoption postings.
How do we decide who to foster an animal with?
How do we decide who to foster an animal with?
It’s always ultimately the foster’s decision whether to take in any particular animal or not. When we receive a need, a message is sent out to all fosters to see who has space for that particular animal. If nobody does, we will decline to accept, as we have no facilities, just foster homes. So if there is no space, there is no space.
We have some foster homes that prefer newborn bottle baby kittens, some that prefer mamas and babies, and others that prefer older kittens or adult cats. It’s absolutely up to you what works best for
you, your home, and your lifestyle.
It’s always ultimately the foster’s decision whether to take in any particular animal or not. When we receive a need, a message is sent out to all fosters to see who has space for that particular animal. If nobody does, we will decline to accept, as we have no facilities, just foster homes. So if there is no space, there is no space.
We have some foster homes that prefer newborn bottle baby kittens, some that prefer mamas and babies, and others that prefer older kittens or adult cats. It’s absolutely up to you what works best for
you, your home, and your lifestyle.
What if I have never fostered before?
What if I have never fostered before?
That’s okay! Many of our fosters started with no prior experience. We provide guidance, resources, and support every step of the way.
That’s okay! Many of our fosters started with no prior experience. We provide guidance, resources, and support every step of the way.
How long will an animal stay in a foster home?
How long will an animal stay in a foster home?
The time depends completely on the animal and the situation. For pregnant mamas and kittens, they are normally there until the babies are old enough to be vetted and adopted. Adult cats can be faster,
unless they are ill or require extra socialization.
If at any point a placement is not working out, a foster may request that the animal be moved. We do ask for patience while we locate another spot, but we will do it as quickly as possible.
The time depends completely on the animal and the situation. For pregnant mamas and kittens, they are normally there until the babies are old enough to be vetted and adopted. Adult cats can be faster,
unless they are ill or require extra socialization.
If at any point a placement is not working out, a foster may request that the animal be moved. We do ask for patience while we locate another spot, but we will do it as quickly as possible.
What happens if I have to leave town or go on vacation?
What happens if I have to leave town or go on vacation?
We will arrange temporary fosters or “kitty sitters” for vacations and similar situations. Advanced notice is appreciated when possible!
We will arrange temporary fosters or “kitty sitters” for vacations and similar situations. Advanced notice is appreciated when possible!
Does a foster get input on who the animal is adopted to?
Does a foster get input on who the animal is adopted to?
Yes. Foster parents may choose how involved they would like to be in the adoption process.. We love when they are involved, as they know the animals best and can best determine if the potential adopter is a good match. We call this a direct adoption (from foster home to adopter).
We also show adoptable cats at Humane Pet Services. In that case, the foster will not be involved in the adoption as it’s done by HPS staff and volunteers from HPS and Solas.
Yes. Foster parents may choose how involved they would like to be in the adoption process.. We love when they are involved, as they know the animals best and can best determine if the potential adopter is a good match. We call this a direct adoption (from foster home to adopter).
We also show adoptable cats at Humane Pet Services. In that case, the foster will not be involved in the adoption as it’s done by HPS staff and volunteers from HPS and Solas.