Shelter animals are being fostered
Local folks are fostering shelter animals during COVID-19 crisis
“With social distancing/shelterin-place in effect, we are not able to accept volunteers. This reduces the enrichment that the animals would normally experience (at the shelter).”
— Rebecca Chesterton, Sequoia Humane Society
Stephanie Haines is retired and has some extra time on her hands and a little extra space at her house.
She also loves cats. Recently, Haines joined a host of other local folks welcoming cats and kittens, dogs and puppies into their homes temporarily while the area’s animal shelters and rescue groups are closed to the public amid coronavirus concerns.
“Fostering cats for me is a special experience,” said Haines, who is currently caring for adult female felines Sunflower and Momma, both from Sequoia Humane Society, a nonprofit, nokill shelter.
“These two are friendly and loving,” Haines said. “They thoroughly enjoy playing and being brushed and just lap up affection. I am able to provide them with toys and activities and hopefully make their lives a bit easier until the shelter reopens or they are adopted. … Both of these sweet cats would make wonderful pets. However, I already have two cats and that seems enough.”
Sequoia Humane Society Kennel Director Rebecca Chesterton is handling most of the fostering logistics for the Eureka shelter’s emergency foster program.
“The animals are gaining excellent skills in home environments,” Chesterton said. “With social distancing/shelter-inplace in effect, we are not able to accept volunteers. This reduces the enrichment that the animals would normally experience (at the shelter).”
She added: “I feel incredibly fortunate that I recently completed my apprenticeship
through Maddie’s Fund for creating a foster and dog field trip program. One of the components was to establish an emergency foster program. I had not imagined it would be implemented so soon and with the additional hurdle of social distancing. We’ve been flexible as we maneuver these hard times and adjust our program. We have a system created online now and a no-contact pick-up/dropoff (for foster pets).”
Potential foster pet parents are asked to complete a volunteer application, orientation/quiz and supplemental foster application — all available online at https://sequoiahumane. org/covid.
“Once (an) application is reviewed,” Chesterton said, “we would add their email to our foster list. They then receive emails about foster opportunities and can schedule an appointment to pick up their foster pet and all needed supplies.”
Cats and dogs — including felines Sarah and Bernice and canines Bella, Honey and Ebony — are all in foster care, yet still available for adoption at Sequoia Humane Society during the COVID-19 shutdown.
“Our shelter is providing no-contact, appointment-based adoptions,” Chesterton said. “Interested adopters can apply online and then a staff member will be in contact with them. … We have a reduced staff at the shelter and all staff that are able are working remotely. The shelter is operating by appointments only for microchipping and adoptions.”
Other animal rescue programs — including Companion Animal Foundation in Eureka and the Humboldt County Animal Shelter in McKinleyville — are also temporarily closed to the public, but also have foster programs up and running. All of their animals are also available for adoption now, with some modifications from the usual procedures.
Andre Hale, animal control and facilities manager at the Humboldt County Animal Shelter, said, “We have been developing a foster program. We sent several dogs into foster at the beginning of the shelter in place, some of which have been adopted. We currently have four dogs in foster — the remainder are still being held here at the shelter.
We are still receiving animals brought in as strays, returning those animals to their owners and doing adoptions. We are operating on an appointmentonly basis.”
Kim Class, director of Companion Animal Foundation, said, “We put a lot of puppies into foster and had a few kittens in foster as well. Before a person or family fosters, I do a 30- to 45-minute FaceTime with the entire household. I try to make it fun and engaging. What has been super fun is a few of the people that volunteered to foster actually ended up adopting from CAF.
Class added: “I require everyone that wants to visit our animals to make an appointment and a mask is required. Everyone who adopts must wear a mask as well.”