McKamey revives fostering program

photo Nine-month-old Heaton has been at McKamey Animal Center for four months. He is one of six dogs the center is seeking to place in foster care. Contributed photo

McKamey Animal Care and Adoption Center is looking for participants in a newly revived foster program to provide half-way homes for animals.

Animal care coordinator Tricia Sebes said foster parents provide for basic care (food, water, bedding and toys) to animals that have problems adjusting to shelter life.

"It's not committing to the animal full time, just taking the animal into your home until it finds its forever home," Sebes said. "We're lucky to have such a large facility, but we get more animals than we can hold sometimes.

"Having extra homes to put them in really helps us out."

The center provides vaccinations and booster shots to the animals as well as medical attention should the need arise, Sebes said.

Foster-care animals include former house pets surrendered by their owners, those recovering from major surgery or animals that have been raised in the shelter that might have difficulty learning proper household manners, Sebes said.

During the fostering period, participants are encouraged to advocate for their animal's adoption and are required to bring it to off-site adoption events at Petsmart on the weekends.

Interested participants should fill out a fostering questionnaire available at www.mckameyanimalcenter.org and hand-deliver it, fax to 423-305-56519 or e-mail Sebes at tricia@mckameyanimalcenter.org

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