Any room for a kitten?
Kitten season has begun and Taupo¯ SPCA is calling for kiwis to open their hearts and homes and be foster parents to animals in need over the summer.
From November to March, SPCA always has a huge influx of queens (mother cats) and kittens.
They soon reach bursting point at centres, with no room for incoming animals.
“We ask people to foster animals to ease pressure on busy SPCA centres,” says Sue Kinsella, Area Manager for Rotorua Lakes.
“A foster family provides a temporary home for animals, often helping them recover from surgery, giving them medicine for an illness, and helping them become socialised and used to a home environment. Foster families are critical for many animals, as they are given the care they need before being adopted to their forever homes.”
The Taupo¯ SPCA centre is preparing for an influx of kittens in the coming months, and is calling for foster families in the region to come forward.
“We have a limited amount of space and people in our centres to care for these animals, so we rely on our fantastic fosterers to offer temporary homes for them. It’s an incredibly selfless thing to do, as it gives the animal a second chance at life,”
Fostering involves caring for an animal from two to six weeks, and comes at no cost to the family. SPCA supplies all food, medicine, bedding and toys. Foster families need to have their own transport to bring animals to and from the centre and be available for vet y appointments.
Fostering is an option for those who can only open their homes temporarily, or if they want to know what it would be like to have a pet live with them, she said.
“We are so thankful for the families who show love and patience to fostered SPCA animals. We do the best we can, but for animals recovering from sickness or injury, or for those needing to work on their confidence, nothing beats a home environment.” says Andrea Midgen, CEO SPCA New Zealand.
■ To ask about becoming a foster family, contact Taupo¯ SPCA centre on 378 4396.