Animal Welfare Professionals

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  • 1.  Volunteer Kitten Foster Coordinator

    Posted 03-04-2023 06:34 PM

    Our shelter is looking for a volunteer kitten foster coordinator. What should we expect from an unpaid person in this aspect. I know running our program for the last few years with our CEO and some staff help, its been quite an undertaking with endless hours. Just curious if anyone else has a volunteer in this role and what you expect from them?


    #FosterPrograms

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    Cortney Dorney
    WAGS Pet Adoption
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  • 2.  RE: Volunteer Kitten Foster Coordinator

    Posted 03-04-2023 10:08 PM

    Hi Cortney

    I am a volunteer Foster Parent Coordinator for Santa Barbara County Animal Services, a Government Municipal Shelter.  Along with our vet staff and management, we have put in a lot of hours to help to develop and build our foster program, not just for kittens but for puppies, close to term pregnant shelter animals, injured, seniors, socialization and our Fospice animals.  It does take a community to make this happen and committed staff.  As I am also a foster parent, it is important to me that our foster parents feel supported, therefore, I am available to them 24/7.  We do have a very supportive staff that keeps us all working together.   We work as a team to help make it the best program we can.  We have now implemented our Foster to Adopt program which has skyrocketed to success.  The involvement and trust in  our community is key.  Seeing foster parents as valued members of the Animal Services team is extremely important. I have been in this role now for 11 years, I believe.  

    When you find your dedicated volunteers/foster parents, train them along side your staff. You want their investments into your organization, so make them a valued part of the team. 

    Hopefully my input helps.



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    Jordonna Rea
    Volunteer Foster Coordinator
    Santa Barbara County Animal Services
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    Original Message


  • 3.  RE: Volunteer Kitten Foster Coordinator

    Posted 03-06-2023 11:41 AM

    Our organization is all volunteer "staff". I'm one of the 3 kitten foster coordinators for our organization.  We started out with one and slowly built up to 3.  And we recently added our "Kitten special ops" volunteer team too to help support us as well.  If the structure is provided and the person has support from the staff I do feel folk who are dedicated to saving kittens will put the time in.  Most of us put in about 20 hours a week donating our time to our program.  Also making it clear to the community that the person is a volunteer so folk understand that it might take a bit longer to get back to folk. We put the below tag line on our emails: We are a 100% volunteer-run organization so your patience is greatly appreciated.
    If you have any questions, please feel free to contact me! 



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    Karla Mejia
    Angel City Pits Org
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    Original Message


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