Why Fostering Makes a Difference: Lessons from a High School Foster Parent

One of the first things we tell people interested in animal rescue is, “We need foster parents!” We remind them that we can’t rescue pets from our local shelters without an open foster home ready to take on the responsibility of caring for a pet—sometimes for many months.

We are incredibly grateful to all of our volunteer foster parents for their compassion and willingness to help. This month, we’re excited to profile one of our repeat foster parents, Ameya, a high school sophomore. She and her mother have fostered for us in the past, and we wanted to learn more about Ameya’s experience. She is currently fostering two kittens, Katara and Sokka.

Ameya and her mom, Preetha with foster kittens

1 - How did you first learn about fostering a pet?

“I wanted a pet, but we used to travel often as a family and knew we could not keep a pet. We googled and found out about being a temporary home for shelter pets. We started with rabbits, fostered a dog with SVPP and then have been fostering kittens and cats for the past 1 year.”

2 - What is your favorite aspect of fostering a pet?

“I observed and learned so much about these animals, like behavior and health issues. It is a challenge to figure out what makes each animal tick. Some are food oriented and others playtime oriented. Each animal has his/her distinct likes, dislikes, and personality. We also gained a lot of satisfaction when these fur babies found their forever homes. The most beautiful aspect of sharing our homes with these homeless pets is to watch them decompress and blossom into happy pets.”

3 - Why do you think other families should consider fostering a pet in need?

“During the pandemic lockdown, many of us felt so suffocated being locked up in our homes. Imagine these animals being left in small spaces with very limited positive human interactions. I remember volunteering at the San Jose Animal Shelter to walk the dogs one Saturday. Volunteers had a list of dogs that got a 10-20min playtime. The sad faces and whining as we locked the dog back in his/her cell till today haunts me. There were just not enough volunteers to walk all the dogs that are surrendered. The SVPP foster dog I had cared for would look forward to her daily hour-long walks. It definitely also made me healthier. I would do my school reading with her at night. She would listen and sometimes fall asleep on my lap. Now the foster cats are my study buddies at night. It makes my day. I feel happier and less lonely in my study room when everyone else has gone to bed. By sharing my peaceful home with a homeless pet, I am doing my part instead of just complaining. Instead of buying from a breeder, fostering a pet from pet rescues and shelters relieves these over stressed organizations. 

I feel fostering helps people understand the needs of the pet they plan to commit to. People get pets on a whim or as gifts sometimes. Puppies and kittens are cute. Some forget it’s like getting a toddler for another decade. When you foster, you get an idea about the responsibilities involved with keeping a pet. This includes vacation time and veterinary bills. Fostering gives you time to see if owning a pet suits your lifestyle. You can always say you are not able to manage and stop after a successful adoption. Just imagine, if you do fall in love with your foster pet, being a foster failure would be a proud badge to wear.”

4 - What lessons have you learned about fostering? 

“Jane Goodall said “You cannot share your life with a dog … or a cat, and not know perfectly well that animals have personalities and minds and feelings.” I learned that animals have boundaries. I learned to respect these boundaries. Every day is a new start. Many times, the animals take their own time to trust us. There is no fixed formula. We have to try different ways yet know when to give them their space. That is quite a fine line. When they do trust us, they give love back in abundance. We become their pack. Till then, we need to be patient and forgiving (for the little scratches, hisses or maybe even bites). They do not have any other way to communicate their feelings.”

5 - Tell us about your current foster kittens.

“Sokka and Katara are named after the 2 main sibling characters in Avatar, the Last Airbender. Both of them love to play with the ball (or anything that rolls away with a push. Like pencils and woolen balls). Chasing a wand is one of their favorite pastimes. While left alone, they love to watch running water in the backyard or just observe the world past them through the window. They love to purr and sleep with us at night. A bonded pair.

Katara is very curious, smart and loves cuddles. She has a beautiful heart shape marking on her torso. She is quite active. She will happily sit on your lap while you watch a movie.

Sokka is very protective, quiet and aloof. He loves to sit alone and observe the people around him. Yet, when he wants, he will walk up to you just for pets and cuddles. All on his terms. When he is done, he will walk away to his corner. He gets jealous if his sister gets all the cuddles. He gives licks as you sleep.”

6 - What Challenges have you faced as a foster?

"The hardest part is to say goodbye to your loving foster as they move onto their next chapter. The best way to get over it for me is get a cup of bubble tea and request for a new foster pet. "

Interested in fostering a pet in need?

Please refer to our website and complete a feline or dog foster application to get the process started!