Save a Life, Four Paws at a Time

Problem: According to the ASPCA, about 6.3 million animals are surrendered to animal shelters annually in the United States. From the same source, about 920,000 animals are euthanized because animal shelters are often overcrowded. Many of these animals depend on humans to survive because they are domesticated animals. Sadly, many animals, such as cats and dogs, are abandoned or are in unloved homes and are then forced to enter shelters. In addition, according to World Animal Foundation, a lot of pets are given up by their pet parents for being too old or too sick or because they could simply not afford to keep them.	Solution: One solution to our problem is to foster an animal to help lower the number of animals in shelters. Benefits of Fostering an Animal: 1. From Aspca.org, a foster home can provide a “safe and healthy environment” for animals requiring a space to heal, grow, or get extra care while looking for a permanent home. 2. A foster animal can motivate you to make healthier lifestyle choices like taking them out for a walk and “give them a chance to stretch their (four) legs” (Source: Bestfriends.org) 3. When you foster an animal from the shelter, it reduces the number of animals in shelters and creates additional space for other animals in need. 4. It is not a permanent commitment, so if adopting an animal does not work with your current lifestyle, you can still help and save a life by opening up your home to an animal for shorter intervals. 5. For specifically young baby kittens, having a foster caregiver with the supplies and training, they need to care for these tiny kittens can literally save their lives and help them become healthy, strong, and ready for adoption! (Source: Aspca.org) 6. Fostered animals benefit from exposure to potential adopters, and their caretaker can provide trusted judgments of the animal’s character and needs to those adopters. 7. The experience of fostering an animal gives you and your family the knowledge to know if you are ready to officially adopt an animal, and “you’ll do so with confidence” (Source: Bestfriends.org)
Disclaimer: Jennifer Yamada takes full responsibility for the information posted. The information on this page represents that of Jennifer Yamada and not that of California State University, Sacramento .