Saving Lives is a Family Affair

By Theresa Chaze

Volunteering to become a foster family for A.C. Paws or Petsafe not only helps the animals in need, but also is a learning and bonding experience for the whole family.

Both A.C. Paws and Petsafe are in need of families and individuals who are willing to temporary share their love, time and homes with cats and dogs who have been abandoned or neglected. Both groups save
hundreds of animals every year,
but what is not so well know is how beneficial the program is to the families who get involved.

According to June McGararth, cofounder of the A. C. Paws and Feline Program Manager, what they are looking for in foster homes is "First and foremost is compassion in the people who become our foster parents. We want to be sure we do no harm. And then we ask the foster people to treat them like their own. Transport them back and forth from the vet. Make sure they have good food. Address any behavior issues right away. A.C. Paws pays for all the vet bills and all the food. Anything that is required if an animal has been injured or need rehabbed we provide.

We ask that the foster person be committed to follow the rehab through. Just to be prepared for what you are getting to before you actually before you take the responsibility on. It is very difficult for an animal, especially an injured or abused animal to get use to one foster home and then have to be transferred to another. And then when they get adopted have to go through another whole change.

We ask people keep in contact. We do follow up calls. But sometimes we get busy. So it's the foster homes responsibility over see the care that animal gets. To be sure it gets micro chipped, spayed or neutered, vaccinations on time or in a timely manor. Get to the to the vet. Get them healthy and get them adopted. We ask that if you decide to volunteer for A. C. Paw that you volunteer solely for A. C. Paw as an animal rescue group, so there isn’t any confusion as whose pet is whose."

Dee Fisher, Canine Director of Petsafe Animal Rescue, said, "We require if that if they (the foster family) has animals they are all to be spayed or neutered and update with vaccines. More or less that the house is animal friendly. We do home inspections. If they have a fenced in yard, we make sure there aren't any holes in the fence. The fence is not required as long as they are responsible.

We interview the family members and check out their pets. How they interact with different members of the family and listen to theirs stories so we know that will be in a good home." Although, Petsafe doesn't have a training program, they also ask the foster family to treat the animals as if they were their own. They don't want the animals housed but to be socialized to be part of a family.

Petsafe takes in the abused or abandoned animals that no one else wants. They never had been part of a safe, healthy home, so they need to learn how to be a house dog or cat. Part of the foster family’s responsibility is to work with them and help them learn how to be part of a family.

Humans also benefit from the foster programs. According to McGararth, “It’s nice to make it a family project. It brings the family closer together. The children can have the responsibilities of helping care for it. And the end result is the child will be very proud that that they helped with the rescue. They actually saved a life.

For the older kids is an issue of community service. You taking from the community and you’re giving back. In the process of giving back, they get pride in what’ve done. They’ve gotten the opportunity to actually see the whole process. As parents, you are setting a good role model. For the senior generation is really nice. I have several nice senior ladies who travel in the winter and are home in the summer. They don’t want to be committed to a pet. But they want one when they are home. So in the summer time they can rescue a kitty. They can play with it. It can keep them company. Yet they are free to go whenever they want.”

Misty Barnes is a new foster parent for A.C Paws, but she has done rescue work for years, described her family's experience. "It has brought us closer. It has been a real learning experience for my son. The whole aspect of bringing in an animal that needs help then having to let it go has taught him that just because we love them we don't have to keep them all.

It's been hard because he does want to keep them all. But he loves to feed babies. The baby kittens especially. He helps me socialize them and gets them familiarized with children. So it helps a lot to have him there. My husband doesn't seem to mind so much. He likes to see the different kinds of animals that come in. He'll play with them once in a while even through he says they are a pest. It gives us a bonding experience that I don't think we have otherwise. This is something we do as a family."

Patti Gouday started fostering with Katrina dogs two years ago. Since then she has fostered 25-35 dogs and 15-20 kittens. She worked through both batches of Katrina animals. Her first foster was a Katrina dog. “I do it partly selfishly for myself. I enjoy having the different animals in the house. But I know they need a safe environment to recuperate from whatever their situation was. And it is very gratifying to see them happy to go home with someone new.

We have had a few tears over placing them but we always realize that is best for the animal. The people are interviewed so we know so that they are going to a good safe home as well. Giving up the first foster animal is the hardest. But when you see a ten-year-old kid walk out there with a grin from ear to ear carrying a little kitten that now is his responsibility and he is going to love, it is the best the best pay of you can possibly have.

For our family it has meant the world. We did kittens. We had a pregnant mother come in. My kids got to experience having kittens in the house, without the responsibility of having to keep six kittens. It shows compassion. That my kids fall in love with them but they realize that they are treating the nicely and training them to be a good pet for another person."

Her ten-year-old son, Trever Goudy is also actively involved with the animals his mother brings into the home. He said, "It’s fun because I get to see the cats and dogs that we get and we play with them. I’m sad when they leave. But I’m happy that they got homes and stuff. Families that they could get loved by."

Although both organizations are always in need of cash donations, they are in desperate need of foster families to help cats and dogs. Both groups provide the food, veterinary care, and supplies. The family provides a loving, safe home and transportation to the adoption events, which take place at the Traverse City Petsmart on most Saturdays and Sundays. The average time a dog spends in a foster home is about two weeks. A single family could save 25 dogs a year by just taking in one at a time.

Cats, however, take a little longer; therefore, there is a greater need for feline foster homes. When you open your heart and your home to help an animal in need, you do more than save a life, you also teach your children responsibility, compassion and community service.

If you are interested in fostering a cat or dog, please see our shelters & rescues link and contact Petsafe or A.C. Paws.