Welcome to the Inland Valley Humane Society & S.P.C.A. Foster Care Program!
Our Foster Care Program provides a temporary home for the animals under our care. (At this time we are unable to provide foster care or boarding for owned pets.) We depend on our extensive foster pool to help us with their care by taking them into their homes for a period of time.
VIEW ONLINE DOWNLOAD PDF VERSIONKittens and puppies, including newborns, that are too young for adoption are sent to foster homes until they are old enough. Sick and injured animals may also be sent to foster care so they can recover in the peace and comfort of a home environment.
Our adult dogs, cats, and rabbits may also go out on foster to get a break from the stress of the shelter and decompress. The love and daily attention they receive from foster families work wonders to socialize them and make them more adoptable.
We could not do all that we do without the help of our caring and dedicated fosters. By fostering for us, you will help save lives!
WHY FOSTER?
You will be helping young, orphaned animals who may not be able to survive without assistance.
You could be helping to nurse to health a sick or injured animal in our care.
By fostering an adult shelter animal, you can help it become more adoptable by providing love and socialization and giving it a break from the stress of the shelter environment.
You will help free up space at the shelter for other animals.
If you are a veterinary student and/or pursuing a career in animal welfare, you can gain invaluable animal care experience.
Fostering is a great way to see if adopting a pet is right for you and your family.
CAN’T FOSTER?
You can still help by providing necessary foster supplies through one of our wishlists.
WHAT SHOULD I KNOW BEFORE I APPLY?
Please ensure that all members of the household are OK with fostered animals in the home. If you rent, check with your landlord to see if you are allowed to have pets.
Fosters will need to be able to get to the shelter for picking up foster animals, returning for food and supply replenishments, vaccination boosters, any medical issues for which our vets need to examine a foster animal, and return for spay/neuter surgery.
If you will be fostering bottle babies, they need to be picked up the same day you are contacted, before the shelter closes. Bottle babies must be fed every few hours, depending on age, until they are able to eat on their own.
Our vets are only available Monday through Saturday* during business hours. All veterinary visits are by appointment only or by prior arrangement. Our Vet Services department is closed on Sundays and holidays. *Please call (909) 623-9777 x665, if medical care is need on Saturday, between the hours of 8:30 AM – 5:30 PM.
After 5:30 PM Mon. – Sat., on Sundays, or holidays, fosters will need to use the “Petriage” app if there is a medical concern or emergency. Please do not take the foster animal directly to an emergency veterinary hospital as we will not be responsible for any costs incurred.
Fosters who have general fostering questions or need food or supplies are to contact the foster coordinator Monday through Friday during shelter business hours only.
We understand that things come up, and in the event of emergency we are here to resume care of the foster animal. However, once a foster is in your care, it must be cared for the entire agreed-upon duration. The goal in fostering is to help the young animals stay healthy, and returning a foster early may lead to it falling ill. Please be prepared to communicate any travel plans upon initial contact.
APPLY TO BE AN ANIMAL FOSTERThank you for opening your heart and home to provide temporary care to a shelter animal in need.
If you are local to our shelter (Pomona, CA), please complete the form below. After submitting, please check your e-mail (including spam/junk folder) for an automated confirmation e-mail message. You will be added to our standby foster list and will be contacted as needed.
**If you are looking to adopt an animal, do not fill out this form. You will need to visit our Adoption Center during adoption hours.**
*If you are interested in fostering a specific adult animal shown on our website, the animal’s “Available Date” must have passed and the animal may have other eligibility criteria for fostering.*
SCHEDULE foster Orientation
WHAT will i be doing as a foster?
Provide a safe, clean and caring environment for the animal.
Give the animal shelter, food and water, clean litter/potty time, toys/enrichment (We provide all food and supplies.).
Provide regular exercise, play and socialization.
Monitor any medical and/or behavioral problems.
Transport to and from any necessary vet appointments.
Administer medications if the animal is sick (We will provide all necessary medications and will explain how to administer meds.).
If the foster animal is sick, it must be quarantined from other pets in the home for a period of 7-14 days or until our veterinary staff determines the foster to be healthy.
If you have any medical concerns or emergencies with your foster animal, contact our Veterinary Services Department during business hours. Outside normal shelter business hours or on weekends, you will need to use the “Petriage” app for instructions. (We are not responsible for any costs incurred if the foster takes the animal to an emergency veterinary hospital without prior authorization.)
Provide the foster coordinator with updates (photos welcome!) on the foster animal’s progress.
HOW LONG CAN I EXPECT TO FOSTER A PET?
Before you agree to foster an animal, you will be told up front how long we anticipate the assignment will be. Foster assignments can vary in duration, from about 2-8 weeks for kittens and puppies, depending on age and health. If you foster an adult shelter animal, we ask that you keep it for at least a few weeks or until it gets adopted. If you have any upcoming travel plans, please inform the foster coordinator before you agree to foster an animal.
TWo “FUR” TWO PROGRAM
This program aims to achieve two significant goals: first, to provide an opportunity for our long-term large breed dogs to find loving homes outside of the shelter environment, and second, to alleviate the strain on our shelter’s capacity for care.
LEARN MOREHave questions? Contact the foster coordinator at
(909) 623-9777 Ext. 608, or email our Foster Coordinator.
