Frequently Asked Questions
Yes! We are always looking for a variety of foster homes so that we can make the best foster matches possible. Some animals may benefit from being placed in the care of a foster who has other animals. In other cases, being in a home with children may build additional socialization skills.
On average, most Anti-Cruelty foster animals are in care for about three to six weeks. When placing a pet on the Foster Candidate list our staff provide an estimate of the anticipated length of the foster’s stay. If an animal becomes ill while in foster, and requires additional time in your care, you will be given the option to extend their stay or bring the animal back.
Each animal is a unique individual and has a history we may not completely know. When sending them into foster care we prepare you as best we can – but situations and behaviors sometimes arise that may make the animal unsuitable for continued care in your household. If you should need to bring an animal back sooner do not consider it a defeat. The information you discovered, even if you only had the animal for a short period of time, will be invaluable to our staff.
No – our on-site veterinary clinic is open to all foster animals who are in your care and we ask that all foster animals be serviced by our staff. There is no need to take your pet to a private veterinarian.
Only foster volunteers who take part in the Adoption Ambassadors behavior foster program are required to recruit their animal an adopter. Other foster providers are not required to recruit an adopter, but we always appreciate a foster’s assistance!
Yes! We love “foster failures” though keep in mind that the goal is to say goodbye. If you are specifically looking to adopt we would recommend coming in to meet available animals instead of fostering.
Anti-Cruelty is an open admission—or open door—humane organization. This means that we will not turn away any animal that comes to us in need of help. Many of the animals who come to us are healthy, good-natured pets who go up for adoption—and there are no time limits on how long they can stay up for adoption. However, there are animals that come to the shelter sick, severely injured, or too aggressive or behaviorally unsound to be placed up for adoption. Sometimes, these animals can be rehabilitated but sometimes they cannot. In this case, we believe that euthanasia is the more humane alternative.
While the phrase “no-kill” can stir many emotions in people, it can also be very confusing. There are many good shelters that call themselves “no-kill,” just as there are many fine shelters—such as Anti-Cruelty—that are “open admission.” Ultimately, much of the confusion about “no-kill” stems from the fact that there is no universally accepted definition of the term. One organization’s idea of no-kill can vary widely from another’s. Therefore, it is important to look into the issues surrounding the idea of no-kill in order to understand the ways in which organizations help animals.