The Pros and Cons of Foster Parenting

I volunteer with an organization called "PET Projects" (petprojects.petfinder.com), which is a part of the Beulah Berman Memorial Animal Shelter Society. I am their webmaster, and also a foster parent. The shelter exists but has been closed due to lack of funding. While they work to figure out how to get the funds to reopen it, foster parenting has allowed us to still take in animals that need homes. Here are the pros and cons of this system, as I see them.

CONS:
1. All of the animals are not in a central location, so no one can simply walk through the shelter and see an animal that they simply "MUST" take home...
2. There are only so many foster homes - we often have to turn animals away.
3. Being so spread out makes administration more of a chore, and so can be harder on the volunteers.
4. Foster parents get attached to the animals, and then cry when they leave (Well, maybe that's just me)

PROS:
1. Animals are not in cages waiting for homes - they are IN homes being socialized and trained and, most importantly, loved
2. Foster parents have a vested interest in seeing a pet find a home, and will work harder to see that happen.
3. How fun is it to get a batch of kittens to enjoy, then find them homes before they get old and not-as-cute, only to get ANOTHER batch of kittens? :)

We've had two batches of kittens now (the last kitten from this batch is going tomorrow - he's leaning against my arm sleeping as I write this), but as much fun as they were to have around, I found finding Mattie a home to be much more satisfying. I've probably already blogged about him, but Mattie was living in an old car and had been homeless for at least a year (being fed by a nice couple who couldn't take him in but wanted to help all they could). He was a big boy, and so beautiful, but older and beat up and scarred. Such a sweetheart - I loved him very much. But I assumed it would be almost impossible to find a home for him because of his age.

So when he went to his new home, it was an awesome feeling. I wish more people would be willing to adopt older cats. But at the same time, I understand why you would want a kitten --- jeepers, I LOVE having kittens here all the time! But all cats were once kittens, and they deserve homes. Would YOU adopt an older cat?

Anyway, this kitty has the right idea - time for sleep.