UPDATE 9/22/22
TKR is not accepting applications to foster at this time. Thank you!
WHAT IS FOSTERING?
Fostering is simply taking care of underage kittens in your home until they are big enough (2 lbs) and healthy enough to go up for adoption. Kitten food, medications and other supplies are provided to fosters by Toni’s Kitty Rescue. Once the kittens are ready for adoption, fosters bring them back to San Francisco Animal Care and Control.
A TKR foster can care for a couple kittens, a whole litter, a nice mom and kittens or a feral mom and kittens. Some fosters bottle feed 10 day old kittens, others socialize shy and scared kittens, and many “just” provide a warm bed, regular food, and lots of love. Some choose to foster once a year, some twice a year and some have been fostering for 10 years. We have foster situations to fit almost anyone’s schedule and TKR accommodates any emergencies, vacations or work travel that may come up.
TKR appreciates any way fosters are able to help. Singles, families with kids, couples, all are welcome to consider fostering!
WHAT SHOULD I KNOW BEFORE BECOMING A FOSTER?
Potential foster parents must have a flexible schedule to accommodate trips into SFACC for regular vaccinations and for medical care, often during weekday afternoons and sometimes on an emergency basis. Kittens can be lots of fun but little ones are stinky at the best of times, but when they get diarrhea (very common in kittens) they really can create a horrible, smelly mess. Everyone in your household has to agree to fostering and need to know what to expect. Fostering kittens takes time and is not for everyone. Please consider the above before applying to be a foster parent.
Love watching funny kitten videos? You might love fostering! Our fosters report that having cute kittens around makes you smile inside and out. Watching their funny kitten antics, cuddling their soft little selves, knowing that you are helping a tiny kitten…it makes you feel good!
HOW TO START
To become a TKR foster, you must first take a new volunteer orientation class at SF Animal Care and Control (SFACC). This a simple one day, 90 minute class, and takes place on select Saturdays every month throughout the year. Classes are held at SFACC (1419 Bryant St, San Francisco, CA 94103) and begin at 10 am. Click here for information about volunteer orientation.
Call 628-652-8885 to reserve a spot in the SFACC new volunteer orientation class.
After attending the orientation class, you can choose to meet with Toni or an experienced TKR volunteer and sign up as a volunteer.
Don’t worry if you are a brand new foster! All fosters receive an SFACC foster manual with the current protocols and procedures to follow. Plus TKR has lots of experienced fosters to call on for advice! You’ll have a list of experienced people you can contact if you have questions or need advice.
When you are ready to foster, TKR will email or call you when there are kittens in need. You can decide when you are able to foster.
Fosters are not responsible for finding adopters for their kittens (although that is always welcome). So when your foster kittens are healthy and old enough to be adopted (eight weeks and 2 lbs.) you bring them back to SFACC. The kittens then go up for adoption at SFACC.
HELPING SENIOR CATS & CATS WITH SPECIAL NEEDS
Though the majority of TKR’s rescue work is with kittens, starting in 2013 TKR began to foster several senior or special needs cats every year. These cats very often require expensive medical care. Tuco and Qui Qui, 15 and 14 year old seniors cats, came to SFACC together when their owner passed away. Both needed extensive dental work, and Qui Qui required part of his jaw to be wired together. TKR footed the veterinary bill of $1500 to heal these two orphaned cats. Soon after their treatments, both were adopted together into a loving home!
If you would like to donate to our senior cats medical rescue fund, it would be greatly appreciated!
