By Melissa McKenzie
Humane Society Silicon Valley has been working double time to prepare for kitten season. Each year hundreds of kittens are left at HSSV and every spring the staff is left with the task of not only bottle feeding baby cats, but finding them good homes. This year, in preparation for the upcoming influx of babies, HSSV held a PurrFest Adoption Event April 16 from 1 to 5 p.m. where adopters could name their own price on any cat aged six months or older.
According to HSSV’s marking manager, Kelly Grant, the shelter held the event to give some of the older animals extra exposure. Grant explained that once the kittens start coming in, larger and older cats are often overlooked.
Not only did HSSV have all of its adoptable cats on display in its cageless facility, but Itty Bitty Orphan Kitty, Friends of San Martin Animal Shelter, San Jose Animal Care Services and Pet Awareness Wellness Society brought in some of their adoptable cats and were on hand to get the word out about the services each organization provides.
Because HSSV is extremely dependent on the time and effort of its volunteers, the organization is reaching out to the community ask for help. “We are desperate to find kitten fosters,” said Grant. “[Fosters] get kittens to the stage where they can go to a regular foster home.” Grant added that each year fosters help save the lives of thousands of kittens across the Bay Area. Without fosters there is no one to care for animals who are too young and underweight to be placed for adoption. Fosters have to provide daily care to the cats, give them any necessary medications provided by HSSV’s staff veterinarian, socialize the animal, provide transportation to and from the shelter for medical appointments and be completely committed to the health and well-being of the animal.
In addition to the duties described, one must have basic knowledge of feline care and behavior, have an area where the foster cats/kittens can be isolated from the foster parent’s companion animals, and have a flexible schedule since some of animals, kittens especially, cannot be left alone for more than four hours at a time. Fosters must also complete a foster care application and attend a volunteer orientation and foster care training class at HSSV.
All food and medical care is provided at no cost to the foster parent. Anyone with a love of cats and some extra time on their hands is greatly encouraged to attend a no pressure informational meeting and help HSSV this spring.
Additional information on fostering can be found at www.hssv.org. The next scheduled class on kitten fostering is scheduled for Sunday, May 8 from 12:30-2:30 p.m. The class will be held in HSSV’s Community Room. PawFurred Pricing will continue through the end of April.
