Midlands Humane Society has been operating at max capacity for the past few months and has very limited kennel space for incoming animals.
Each day, there are calls from people needing to surrender their pets for a multitude of reasons, and appointments are being scheduled out two to three weeks to try and get some breathing room, but it is not working.
The calls keep coming, and animals keep coming through our doors. We desperately need your help!
If you have had thoughts of welcoming a new pet into your family but aren’t sure if you’re ready to take the big leap of adopting, becoming a foster volunteer might be the perfect fit for you.
Foster volunteers provide their home, time and love to the animals they are fostering and MHS will provide all other supplies. You will be sent home with all the food, bedding, toys, litter and miscellaneous items needed to care for the pet being fostered. Fosters will also need to be able to transport the animals to and from the shelter for regularly scheduled veterinary check-ups and vaccines.
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Currently, the biggest foster need is for adult dogs and kittens.
Adult dogs that stay in the shelter environment long term can deteriorate behaviorally, effectively reducing their adoptability and stretching already thin resources in shelters to get them the help they need.
Dogs healing from injuries or going through treatments and young nursing or orphaned kittens are our highest priority foster placements. Not only does it benefit the animals, but it also helps relieve the staff and volunteers working tirelessly to care for the 250-plus animals in the shelter at a given time.
Foster volunteers can network with friends, family and co-workers to try and find a forever home. In the meantime, if the animal is available for adoption, animals will be posted on the MHS website and on social media.
So how do you become a foster volunteer? The process is very simple!
The first stop will be to complete a foster volunteer application via an online link that will be sent to you upon request by our volunteer and foster care coordinator Derek Rollins. You can request this application by emailing Derek directly at drollins@midlandshumanesociety.org.
If your application is accepted, the next part of the process will be to schedule a home visit in person or via Zoom. Per Iowa Code, it is a requirement for a home visit has been completed before foster animals can be placed.
Fosters will be supported by the foster care coordinator and the MHS medical team to make the transition to the home as easy as possible for both parties.
Help Midlands Humane Society save lives! Become a foster volunteer today.
MHS Pets of the Week, brought to you by Wayne & Kathy Barr:
Pistachio
Pistachio is an 11-month-old neutered male Chihuahua mix who came to MHS as a stray. He is a very timid, quiet boy looking for a laid-back home with patient owners who will help him come out of his shell. He will need lots of soft words, yummy treats and head rubs but we think once he warms up, he will be attached to your hip. He has done just fine with other dogs his size and cats while here at MHS.
Charley
Charley is a 2-year-old neutered male Australian Shepherd who is your typical high energy, ready to play kind of dude! He will make a great adventure buddy for those who like going on nice long walks or hikes in the Loess Hills. He will benefit from continued basic obedience training to make him the best boy.
Rosaline
Rosaline is a 3-year-old spayed female, beautiful calico, ready to be your couch potato and lap warmer. She is a quiet girl who needed lots of sweet talk and head scratches to help her come out of her shell so her new owner should be patient in letting her acclimate to her new home.
Cinni
Cinni is a 4-year-old spayed female Pitbull who is the biggest sweetheart and goofball. She loves just about everyone she meets and with some work on her basic obedience and leash training she will be the best companion. She is a bit on the chonky side and will need help shedding a few pounds to get her to a healthier weight. Cinni will need to be adopted to an area without a breed ban.
Visit MHS weekdays from noon to 6 p.m. and Saturdays from 11 a.m. to 5 p.m. Check out our available pets online by visiting our website at midlandshumanesociety.org/adopt.