Learn How to Foster a Pet

Often when you think about pet adoption, images of heading to the Hillsborough County Animal Services shelter and picking out the perfect pet come to mind.

But there's a group of people who you may not think about who contribute a valuable resource to county pet adoption - pet foster families.

"Having a foster family is helpful on so many different levels," said Marti Ryan, spokeswoman for Hillsborough County Animal Services. "The animal has a place to calm down and get care. The shelter becomes very instrumental in getting the dog or cat placed. They begin to know dogs habits, strengths and weaknesses or behavior issues."

Through May, animal services will team up with the Hillsborough County libraries to educate the public on how to get involved in fostering pets. A lectures titled "Save A Life-Foster A Pet" will be held at several library locations in the county through May. The lecture series are a way to celebrate National Pet Week, which runs from May 5-12.

At the lecture workshops, residents are invited to meet trained volunteers and staff from animal services to learn how to provide foster care to shelter pets in need of adoption. People will be able to ask questions and learn how to become a shelter family.

"By going to the neighborhoods, it's a way to proactively reach out to a variety of neighborhoods that are not too far from your house," Ryan said.

Animals are often placed in foster families when space is limited at the county shelter at 440 N. Falkenburg Road, or the animal needs some special care before adoption. Often foster families can provide insight and guidance to the people who ultimately adopt the pets.

The workshops are for adults 18 and over.

Dates and locations for Save A Life-Foster A Pet lecture near Westchase are as follows:

• Saturday, May 4 at 11 a.m., Upper Tampa Bay Regional Library, 11211 Countryway Blvd. in Tampa.
• Saturday, May 11 at 2:30 p.m., Austin Davis Public Library, 17808 Wayne Road in Odessa.
• Monday May 20 at 3 p.m., Town ‘N Country Regional Public library, 7606 Paula Drive, Suite 120 in Tampa.

Have you ever fostered a pet? Let others know what to expect by sharing your story below!