As kitten season hits its peak, the Houston SPCA is making an pressing name to the neighborhood for assist. Greater than 100 animals — together with 87 fragile kittens — are in fast want of foster properties. With June marking Nationwide Foster a Pet Month, the timing couldn’t be extra important for animal lovers to step up.
“These younger animals are relying on us,” says Dr. Roberta Westbrook, chief veterinarian and VP of veterinary medication on the Houston SPCA. “Fostering saves lives. It provides weak animals the prospect to develop, heal, and thrive in a protected, loving atmosphere.”
Proper now, many of the kittens in want are both nonetheless in or have simply graduated from the Houston SPCA’s Neonatal Kitten Nursery, the place they’re bottle-fed till they’re sufficiently old to eat comfortable meals. And not using a foster community able to take them in, their probabilities of survival dwindle.
Spring and summer time are infamous within the animal welfare world for an explosion of orphaned kittens, and that features the Houston SPCA. By fostering, you don’t simply assist a single animal — you alleviate the burden on the campus and open up house for the continual stream of recent rescues.
Fostering is simpler than you assume
In case you’re hesitant about fostering, the excellent news is that it’s designed to be easy and supportive. The method to turn into a foster mother or father includes simply three easy steps:
1. Submit an utility on-line
2. Full a fast coaching
3. Choose up your provides and your foster animal
The Houston SPCA gives every thing you’ll want: meals, medical care, coaching, and extra. All it’s important to present is time, love, and a short lived house in your house. You additionally acquire entry to a supportive neighborhood by way of the Houston SPCA Fosters Fb group, the place you possibly can ask questions and share your journey.
You may signal as much as foster or study extra at houstonspca.org/foster-family.
What should you discover a litter within the wild?
It’s widespread to come back throughout kittens in yards, below porches, or in parks this time of yr. However the Houston SPCA urges Houstonians to not swoop in immediately.
Watch first — if the mom cat returns inside just a few hours, she’s doubtless nonetheless caring for them. Nonetheless, if the kittens are visibly injured, malnourished, or coated in ants, or if their eyes are closed and so they seem deserted for hours, it is time to step in and get in touch with the Houston SPCA.
Picture courtesy of Houston SPCA
Now could be the time to assist
With 108 younger lives within the stability, the Houston SPCA is relying on the compassion of native residents. Whether or not you’ve fostered earlier than or are contemplating it for the primary time, there has by no means been a greater — or extra pressing — time to become involved.
“Fostering could seem small, however to the animal you take care of, it means every thing,” says Dr. Westbrook.
Take step one immediately and assist the Houston SPCA give these kittens a preventing probability.
