Animal Welfare Professionals

Hi everyone, 

I was wondering what other organizations policy is regarding allowing foster volunteers to foster multiple situations (ie two separate litters). We currently ask that our volunteers only provide care for one situation at a time, in an effort to reduce risk of transmission of potentially contagious conditions. This is also in an effort to help reduce burnout for our foster volunteers. I just wanted to reach out to see what other organizations do in regards to this. 

Thank you!

#FosterPrograms

------------------------------
Taylor Prostor
Hawaiian Humane Society
------------------------------

Most of our fosters only foster one litter at time. And any time that they may have a couple litters in their home we ask that they be in separate rooms. We try to remind them of risk of transmission of any bacteria, parasites and fungus with more than one litter in their house. Truthfully most fosters are only up to caring for one litter at a time. The few of us that run the rescue do have 1-2 litters most times but we follow strict rules and protocols to minimize cross-contamination.

------------------------------
Karen Hunter
Foster parent and board member
Wells Valley Cat Rescue
CT
------------------------------

We don't have a formal foster program (we're a spay-neuter program, but the only "cat organization" in a small country.)  We always ask people to only foster one litter at a time and we provide good information on cleaning and sanitation for people who are willing to learn .  It often takes them many panleuk deaths before they see why we say one litter at a time, and make sure your pets are utd on their vaccinations.

------------------------------
April King
Volunteer and Board Member
Kotor Kitties
+1 206 407 5336
http://www.kotorkitties.org
------------------------------

I have had people foster multiple adult cats at once that were fully vetted, so they could interact and it posed no problem. 

Like was said above, if someone wanted to foster kittens from different litters, I would allow it only if they could keep them separated until vetting could be completed. If they have the space in their homes to separate, I would be fine with that. 

------------------------------
Amanda Gray
Fundraising and Grants Manager
Operation Liberation
------------------------------

That's a great question! For my organization, we do NOT require foster families be limited to one situation at a time UNLESS their current situation is contagious (URI, ringworm, etc.). We do give foster families guidelines on disease prevention and keeping situations separate, but overall we trust our foster families to make the right decisions with our guidance. My take on it is, we're already trusting these families with the care of our shelter pets- we should trust them if they choose/are able to foster multiple situations. That said, there are of course families that I would discourage from taking on multiple situations; I consider this regular volunteer management and a great way to keep some families from being overwhelmed when they're a known entity. If you have a veterinarian on your team, I think getting their input on this subject might also be helpful.

------------------------------
Krystyna Zarn-Langford
Geauga Humane Society's Rescue Village
------------------------------

We are a cat rescue, and do allow intermingling of litters. If there is a mother, we'll test her for FeLV first.  As examples, we have added an orphaned young kitten to a family with a nursing mama, and we've also placed two mamas with their nursing kittens together (separate rooms at first, but eventually co-parenting each others' kittens). It depends on the time and space of the foster. 

------------------------------
Pamela Adelmann
------------------------------