Animal Welfare Professionals

Good evening fellow animal lovers,

I'm a full-time foster for a non-profit organization and always have seven or sometimes sixteen fosters coming in and out of my home before going on transportation to their forever homes. I have been fostering for 2 years and counting but I'll be soon going to a Veterinarian School and need to collect my hours for all the volunteering I've done as a foster. It is full-time like I mentioned but how do I make a volunteering sheet or what would I put seeing as it was full-time and I always have only a couple days off of fostering before recieving more from the animal shelter. I wouldnt know what volunteering sheet would use for fostering. I kept a record of all my fosters through social media and can go back but dont know what volunteering sheet to use. Please help! 

Thank you so so much!

- Britany 

Hi Britany!  Congrats on Vet School!!!  I don't know if this helps, but this past season when feeding one baby kitten (he was 3 weeks old) I had to schedule about 40 minutes for getting the bottle ready, feed him, burp him, potty him & play with him for a few minutes during night feedings...  Of course during the day we spent more time together, but that was just one kitten...  Keep in mind that he was 'really needy' - actually he still is (LOL)...  It also takes us (the Hubs & me) about 30 minutes to clean their 'kitten house' out, get bedding changed & new food & water...  That is every morning & every night, but just for one litter (sometimes we have two) & a bottle baby.  You would also need to add time in for trips back & forth to the vet or shelter and any medical needs they have that you manage at home with them (meds, rehab exercises, etc). When we have had sick kittens here, my Hubs (he is really the kitten whisperer) cuddles them & sleeps with them & snuggles them under his beard for days at a time while they are healing...  He does a wonderful job with sick babies!  When you are working with tiny babies teaching them to latch takes extra time and of course, play time!

I only foster cats & kittens, so I'm guessing there is additional needs for puppies & dogs like walking, training, etc.

I know this may not have helped much but I hope it is a starting point for you?

Jane Naus