ANIMAL COMPANIONS
Volunteer foster caregivers sought for influx of kittens

The Hawaiian Humane Society

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Caregiver F.Y.I.: Volunteers must be at least 18 years old. Length of fostering can be from two to four weeks. Litters of kittens should be kept together but separate from other pets. Volunteers should spend time socializing kittens. Volunteers must be available to bring the animals in for a weekly checkup between noon and 4 p.m. any day of the week. Supplies such as kitty litter and food are provided. Two foster training sessions are required.

Many incoming kittens are too young for adoption. Some cats need extra care. And sometimes there is no room to accommodate all the new arrivals. Citizens can help by serving as foster volunteer caregivers.

These volunteers are a special breed. They welcome the animals into their homes, providing care and socialization until the kittens are 8 weeks old and weigh 2 pounds. Then they must return their little, furry friends to the shelter so that they can be sterilized and adopted to lifelong homes.

Foster volunteers find a philosophical way to deal with the emotion of letting go.

"I enjoy caring for kittens during this exciting time in their lives," said Peggy Baptista, a foster kitten volunteer. "Watching them grow from tiny little furballs to playful kittens — it's so rewarding."

Foster families also play an important role in an animal's life by making them ideal pets once they're placed in permanent homes. "It's great knowing I've increased their chances for adoption," Baptista said.

Knowing that their stay together is temporary helps Baptista when it's time to give the kittens back. "We get these kittens with the understanding that we're not keeping them," she said. "Of course it's always hard to let them go."

Another foster care volunteer is Dustine Aiu. "Most of my foster kittens have had a rough start to their lives," Aiu said. "I make sure that they learn to play together, enjoy toys, get comfortable hearing normal household noises and feel secure around adults and children. I try to make them as confident and adaptable as they can be so their transition back to the shelter and their new homes will be easier."

Aiu knows from experience that animals that have been fostered make wonderful pets and their adoptions are usually permanent and happy. "It is exciting to see them grow up, then move on to live a safe life where they are loved," Aiu said.

To find out more about foster care and make a difference in the lives of animals in your community, call Gayle Puou, volunteer coordinator, at 946-2187, ext. 216. A volunteer application form is available at the Hawaiian Humane Society's Web site at www.hawaiianhumane.org.

ADOPTABLES

Kit

Tag No. 25432

About 3 years old, this beautiful golden-eyed cat is playful and affectionate. She spent several weeks with a foster volunteer, where she received special care. Loving and healthy, Kit could become a lifelong companion.

Sassy

Tag No. 23

Here's a playful dog perfect for an active family with older kids. Sassy is an attractive 4-year-old lab/pit mix. She has a short coat of dark brown and black with white accents. She gets along well with her roommate Kainoa and other dogs.

These particular animals may have already found new homes. The Hawaiian Humane Society and McInerny Dog Park at 2700 Wai'alae Ave. are open noon to 8 p.m. Monday to Friday; 10 a.m. to 4 p.m. on weekends.

The incoming-animals area is open 24 hours. If you've lost or found an animal, call the society at 946-2187, ext. 285. See www.hawaiianhumane.org