Animal Welfare League of Qld

Foster Care Program

www.awlqld.com.au

What is fostering?

Fostering means caring for an animal on a temporary basis in your home to enable it to develop, recover from an injury or illness, or overcome a behavioural issue, before being

permanently rehomed.

Designed for:Unweaned

Mothers with newborn litters

Kittens or puppies too young

to be desexed and rehomed

Animals needing to be nurtured

back to health due to illness or

mistreatment

Animals with temperament issues

(non aggressive)

Animals waiting for space

Unweaned babies

Things to remember:

These babies rely on their foster carer for EVERYTHING

It is very hard work

Foster carers receive one on one training

Carers are made aware of higher mortality rate

Mums with babies

Mum needs:

Security

Stability

Consistency

Attention to diet

Love

Clean and warm environment

Babies need:

Stability

Close attention to their

• development

Underage/underweight babies

Babies need:

Security

Socialising

Handling

Play

Balanced diets

Training

Frequent cleaning

Animals with medical needs

Cats with flu

Dogs with kennel cough

Pre and Post surgery care

Other treatments

Flu cats

• Signs include: mucous discharge, lethargy, watery eyes, mouth ulcers, sneezing, reduced appetite, salivation

• Require close observation, medication, to be kept away from other cats

Is not transferable to dogs or

people

Kennel cough dogs

• Signs include: coughing, vomiting, nasal discharge, lethargy, reduced appetite

• Contagious to other dogs but not to people

• Need to be kept warm under observation, medication, not to be over exercised

• To be kept away from other dogs

Temperament Issues

These could include things such as:

Timidity

Socialising needs

Observation of other issues

Special Needs Animals

We are always looking for people willing to foster:

• Contagious animals

• Unweaned animals

• At risk animals

Please speak to our staff if interested and we can organise further training

Home Set ups

Important issues are:

Safety – can the animal harm itself

in the chosen environment

Accessibility – does it allow for easy

and constant contact

Easy to clean – can it be cleaned 2-3

times a day without difficulty

Easy to protect – can contact be restricted at chosen

times from both animals and children

Isolation from animals – if contact is not desired with existing family animals

Very young kittens

When kittens are

still very young but

are becoming

increasingly mobile

the bathtub is a good

daytime play area

Young kittens

As kittens get older

a shower cubicle

can make a safe

living and play

environment if need

be (please check that

there are no leaks)

Fencing can also be used to restrict access to unsafe areas

Puppy pens are a safe

way to contain pups if

they are going to

spend time outside

Equipment provided

The AWL can provide the following:

Food

Feeding utensils

Bedding

Leads and Toys

Litter trays and litter

Crates

Medication

Please always return all items when returning your animals.

All donations are most welcome!

Guidelines for feeding

Weaned Kittens

Only dry or wet kittenfood (for kittens under 12 months) Please do not give canned adult food

Cats

Only to eat wet or dry cat food. Please check with the outpatient clinic staff if you wish to offer your cat an alternative diet.

Guidelines for feeding

Puppies

• Puppies are only to eat wet or dry puppy food

• Do not give cooked bones or chicken wings

• Check with the Outpatient Clinic before giving out other treats

• Never leave puppies alone with chews

• Feed puppies 3-4 times a day

Dogs

• Give only wet and/or dry dog food

• Check with staff before giving them any other diet

• No cooked bones or chicken wings

• Separate adult dogs when giving out treats

• Feed dogs 2 times a day

Guidelines for housing

Puppies

To be kept in a spare room, garage, bathroom or laundry with access to fresh water and clean bedding

Dogs

Must be kept inside a garage, spare room or inside when you are not home regardless of the type or height of outside fencing. Access to fresh water and clean bedding and shelter at all times

Kitten proofing your home

• Check for any areas that a cat or kitten could use to get outside and ensure it is closed up

• Toilet seats to be kept down at all times

• Breakable items and glass to be stored away

• Very small kittens should be kept away from furniture they can climb on

• Kittens should be kept locked away in a safe area when you are out

• For further tips see your introduction booklet

Puppy proofing your home

• Puppies love picking up things in their mouths, check that nothing is left on the floor they is not safe to chew on.

• Unsecure items or furniture should be put away

• Stairways should be blocked off as well as the entrances to undesired areas

• Don’t use any type of bait either outside or inside the house

• For further puppy proofing advice please refer to your welcome pack

Health issues to look out for:When you notice the following, please contact

us immediately:• Sneezing and congestion with green or yellow discharge from the nose

and/or eyes

• Coughing, wheezing or heavy breathing

• Diarrhoea or vomiting

• Straining to urinate or defecate

• Bleeding from any part of the body

• Lethargy

• Fever

• Paralysis

• Extreme change in attitude or behaviour

• Changes in eating behaviour

In case of emergency:

During business hours

Foster Clinic:

5509 9020

After hours

AWL Vet Clinic:

5594 0111

Enrichment and socialising

To produce well socialised, healthy puppies and kittens that are ready for adoption we need to provide:

Family contact – both human & animal

Environmental contact

Learning toys

Training time

Play time

Diverse experiences

AND ...

Huge amounts of love.......

Any questions?

Through our Foster

Program, we seek to

save as many lives as

possible and to enrich

the lives of those

animals that would

otherwise be

euthanased.