Humane Society seeks foster parents

Those interested in providing a temporary home for dogs or cats until they are adopted can attend a class Wednesday evening.

By TARA DOLAN

© St. Petersburg Times,
published June 26, 2001

Kellianne Waichunas had a compelling need to nurture.

But having a child wasn't the right choice for her family. And she knew she couldn't add another pet to a household that already had a dog and two cats.

"Yet I still had this need to love and take care of another living being," said Waichunas, 40, of Clearwater.

So Waichunas and her husband, Wayne, turned to the animal foster program run by the Humane Society of North Pinellas. Through the course of a year, they have provided a temporary home to 97 kittens that were orphaned, injured, abused or sick.

The Humane Society of North Pinellas hopes to attract more volunteers like Waichunas when it holds an animal foster parenting class Wednesday from 6:30 to 8:30 p.m. at the Clearwater Countryside Library, 2741 State Road 580.

The class outlines what is expected of potential foster parents who will provide transitory homes to either cats or dogs until they are adopted, said Rick Chaboudy, executive director of the Humane Society of North Pinellas. He said foster parents need to be aware of both the advantages and disadvantages of caring for homeless animals.

"We make it clear to foster parents that these animals have no history and could be harboring problems we are not aware of," Chaboudy said. "We also emphasize that although foster parenting is rewarding, it can take up a lot of time."

But Chaboudy said the shelter is adept at matching the needs of the animal with the needs of the foster parent.

"Some foster parents take in litters of 3-day-old kittens that must be bottle-fed every four hours around the clock for eight or nine weeks," he said. "Others will provide temporary homes for dogs that have been hit by cars."

Chaboudy said the program's 70 participants help to free up space in the shelter. The shelter cares for about 8,000 animals a year and can house about 350 animals at a time, he added.

"Getting these kittens or puppies into temporary homes allows us to take in and help more animals," he said. "We also are able to place younger animals that are more susceptible to disease or illness into homes where they will get individual attention."

Chaboudy said because donations fund the program, there really is no out-of-pocket expense for foster parents. A veterinarian examines each animal before it is placed in a foster home. The shelter also provides foster parents with food, litter, caging and any type of the medical supplies the animal might need. He said the only requirement is that foster parents make sure their own pets have up-to-date vaccinations.

Waichunas said the main qualifications for foster parenting are time and love.

"Whatever you put in of your time, you get back," she said. "Being a foster mother is the most rewarding thing I've ever done."

To help

For information on the Humane Society of North Pinellas' animal foster program, call (727) 797-7722.

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