LAP Lifelong Animal Protection Charity


Give An Animal A Second Chance
Fostering means looking after a rescued, orphaned or recovering animal for a short time. Choosing to foster is a great community service. The best part is having the SATISFACTION of hearing a purr or seeing a wagging tail and knowing you have given an animal a second chance. Keeping an adoptable animal temporarily in your home is a vital step in the adoption process.
Gain Additional "Socialisation"
Fostering an animal not only improves the chances for the animal to be seen and adopted; it also benefits the volunteer who gets the satisfying chance to really make a difference in that animal's life. In addition the animal gains additional "socialisation" through your attention and through opportunities for play. Some animals come from abusive and neglectful backgrounds and benefit greatly from personalised attention. Many fostered animals are initially timid and wary but gain confidence in a loving and consistent environment. They are actually better off after having been through this intermediate step, able to adapt more rapidly and completely to their permanent homes. If you already have animals at home a foster animal can provide them with a great playmate and can revitalize older animals, helping to keep them fit and stimulated.
You get the joy and save a valuable life
The foster family provides the loving attention the animal needs. The biggest pleasure of being a foster parent is seeing how this animal, that you have loved and cared for, brings joy to a new adoptive family. It is inevitable that you will become attached to your foster friend and it can be difficult to say goodbye when he finds a new home, no matter how perfect the new family may be. However, this is a small price to pay for saving a valuable life. By fostering you can save many animals, not just those you foster, as you release resources that would otherwise be devoted to them.

Why are foster homes needed?

Fostering in individual homes is a very significant way you and Lifelong Animal Protection can save animals' lives.

As a not-for-profit organization, there simply aren't enough funds to purchase land and build a shelter that would be a comfortable, safe place for the homeless and abused.

Fostering gives animals who have been strays or abused an opportunity to become a valued member of a family.

What do you provide as a foster parent?

	A safe and loving home until the animal is adopted.


	An average time commitment of one month.

	Cooperation with LAP to arrange meetings with adoptive families.

	Liaison with LAP to provide veterinarian or medical care. Occasionally a puppy or kitten will have a health problem. This can be upsetting for the fosterer. However, with care the animal nearly always recovers. In difficult cases LAP prefers to take the animal back into our own care.

In either of these cases you may choose to remain with your foster or drop him off and pick him up when he is ready. LAP will keep in frequent contact for updates and observation on how things are progressing.

If you have to stop fostering or can't make an adoption appointment you can simply call to inform the foster coordinator. Other arrangements will then be made for your foster. Please give us at least 48 hours notice if at all possible.