The Ottawa Humane Society (OHS) is searching for volunteers willing to provide a temporary home and care for animals awaiting adoption. Stephen Smith, OHS Manager of Communications, informed Stittsville Central that “the animals have a pretty big need for foster homes at the moment.”
The need is greater than ever as the OHS experiences longer-than-normal wait times for foster homes. Currently, more than 40 animals are waiting for foster homes – some having been waiting for more than a month.
“The summer is when our need for foster homes is the greatest,” said Kestrel Wraggett, OHS Manager of Volunteers. “We’ve never seen wait times like this before. Usually it only takes an animal about three to five days to find a foster home.”
In the hot summer months, Ottawa’s interest in fostering slows down with families planning vacations, meaning they are unable to temporarily house an animal in need. In addition to fewer homes being available, the OHS population spikes as homeless mother cats and their kittens flock to the shelter.
Foster volunteers make a huge difference not only for the animal in their care, but for other animals at the OHS as well. Foster volunteers provide animals with a comfortable home to relax in as they wait for their forever home, work on their behaviour, or recover from life-saving surgery. With more animals in foster homes, the OHS has more space and resources to provide for animals in need.
“Fostering one animal helps so many more,” added Wraggett. “And right now, our need is the greatest it has ever been.”
The OHS provides foster volunteers with everything required for the animal in their care. Many of the animals currently in need of a foster home only have to stay with their foster family for a couple weeks.
Interested in becoming a foster volunteer? Learn more on the Ottawa Humane Society’s website.