Foster Families Needed for Humane Society Kittens

Kitten season in Door County is in full swing, which means the amount of feline residents at Door County Humane Society (DCHS) is about to make its annual climb upward through spring and into fall. So far, two litters of kittens have been born at DCHS and there are two other expectant mothers.

In an effort to help with their growing population and to ensure each animal receives the best care possible, DCHS is proud to introduce a pilot foster program for orphaned kittens and feline mothers with their litters.

“This program will help us in many ways at DCHS,” stated Colleen McCarty, Animal Care Technician. “First, it will help with crowding at the shelter. It will also provide each kitten with a better chance of survival due to minimized exposure to other cats during their fragile first weeks. In addition, it will provide more one-on-one care and human interaction for the kittens. This socialization makes them more adoptable in the long-term. Lastly, the DCHS staff will have more time to attend to our in-house residents. ”

DCHS will supply foster parents with all necessary kitten-care supplies, including food, litter and medicine. Each kitten will be brought to the shelter every two weeks to be weighed and examined, eliminating the responsibility of veterinary care from the foster parents. To ensure that this experience is not difficult or overwhelming, DCHS is also supplying a mentor (“foster coordinator”) to each foster family. The time commitment of fostering will range between two to nine weeks.

“The beauty of this program is that it is flexible. If you want to foster once, you can do that. If you want to foster over and over again, we’re happy to have you. We are very excited to see how our pilot program goes, as well as how it will grow and evolve in the future,” said Executive Director Carol Boudreau.

If interested in learning more about DCHS’s new foster program, DCHS will host an open-to-the-public orientation on April 23 at 1 pm at the shelter. During the orientation, you will receive more in-depth information about the foster program and have the opportunity to ask any questions you may have.

Those who sign up for this program are not monetarily compensated. DCHS encourages both individuals and families to participate. For more information and to RSVP, contact Assistant Animal Care Coordinator Debbie at 920.746.1111 ext. 7 or [email protected].