Won’t you help PAWS find new, forever homes for dogs and cats from the Ouachita Parish Animal Shelter? Our biggest need is foster homes to temporarily care for rescued pets. We can’t take them from the shelter until we have a place for them to stay.
In other words, we can’t do it without your help!
Check out the ‘Happy Tails’ on our main rescue page. These dogs were fostered locally until they found new, loving homes!
It truly takes a special person to become a foster parent to a pet. You have to be willing and able to fully give your heart and home to a dog or cat that will become a part of your family for a few weeks or months. Sometimes you may be helping an animal recover from an illness, such as heartworms.
You can decide when you foster and what you foster. Many people think they couldn’t love and care for a pet for only a short period of time. But then you realize that YOU are the integral link to one more pet finding a wonderful home rather than facing a more unfortunate fate.
You can’t save them all, but you can make a difference one at a time! Foster families provide a great service, allowing dogs and cats to get out of the shelter system until they can find their forever home. This reduces stress on the animal and allows them to be in a loving, caring home where they can learn how to be a better family member.
Not only do these people save the life of their foster pet, they also make room for another animal at the shelter. Adopters want to know how a pet is with children, dogs, cats, walking on a leash and riding in a car. A foster parent will know these things. A foster who can socialize a pet, teach them manners and help housetrain them makes them much more adoptable. Being a foster mom or dad can be very rewarding for both people and pets!
Foster FAQ’s
Will it cost me anything?
Maybe, maybe not. You provide a safe and secure living area, food, bowls, leash, bedding, exercise, transportation to and from the vet’s office & time to socialize your foster pet. Most of these things you may already have.
PAWS will pay the adoption fee (which includes spay/neuter), for approved vet care and in some cases can provide food. PAWS will provide heartworm and flea/tick preventative for dogs. PAWS can even let you borrow a crate, if needed.
What kind of animals do you rescue?
We rescue lots of Labrador retrievers because we have ties to a lab rescue group. We also work with other dog breed rescues & sometimes cat rescue groups.
If I volunteer now, do I have to take a pet now?
No—you can foster when it fits your schedule and you can foster the type of pet that fits your lifestyle. All we ask is that you be prepared and have patience. We will take the pet back if there is a problem, but it may be hard to find another foster on short notice. Let us know what your interests are and we’ll contact you when we need a foster home.
Does the pet have to stay indoors?
We prefer that you keep the pet indoors, or at the very least in a secure yard. Many rescue groups will only adopt to families willing to keep the pet indoors, so a housetrained pet is much more adoptable. Pets are happier with their people.
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