At 4 Paws, we utilize foster homes for the cats, dogs, and kittens that require the extra love and attention that can only be found in a home. Whether they are new born kittens, senior cats that need a lap to curl into, or dogs that need room to run after that rubber ball, we seek temporary homes to meet their needs. Foster parents open their homes and 4 Paws provides the training, food, and support to provide a successful fostering program. Please read on to learn more about becoming a foster parent.

Consider, a cat, who, has been in one home, with one family, since the time she was 3 months old, who at the age of 8 or10 or 13 or 18 years, suddenly finds herself without a home, for whatever reason. This cat has had all the comforts of home, and now is placed in an area with many cats, none that she knows, and no person to call her own.  A cat in this situation is under tremendous stress. Often, she will stop eating, after 4 days her vital organs can start to shut down, and, depending on the cat’s health, this is a critical time in her life. If she is to live, she needs desperately to have something more than a crate to call her own. She needs a place with love and attention, things that are vaguely familiar.  Not forever.  She needs; food, water, a soft quiet voice, a room to call hers, a soft place to sleep without fear. THIS CAT NEEDS YOU.

Seniors Need Love Too

Experience has shown us that many returning seniors, have gone on to become great companions for others. Some have gotten back on their paws quickly; some have taken a very long time.  The key to their success is senior fostering. The reward of seeing the trust and purrsonality return to these cats is almost overwhelming.  Not a mission impossible at all, but simply a pure effort of love.

The Dogs Are In The House

Come visit our shelter and you will see something odd. No dogs! All of our dogs live with foster parents. They spend about three weeks at their foster home and then are transported, by their foster parents, to PetsMart on the weekends to be shown for adoption. The dogs get adopted so quickly, we never even show them on our website. These guys are not puppies, but with a 20-23 pound size limit, each dog is still a little bundle of "I'm so happy to see you!" love.

Time, Love, & Room

Do you have a bit of time, an extra room, and some love that might be directed to help one of our seniors in need?  Or, possibly to help a younger cat overcome extreme fear and anxiety? Would you like to be the person that will always remember the abused cat who, when she came to you, couldn’t be touched, and when she left you she did so as a purring ball of fur ready to start a new life?

We need you in our Fostering Team. Please contact Pam at 623-876-8778.