Foster Program

Thank you for considering opening your heart and home to our shelter’s homeless animals. Your generosity will provide young and old, injured and sick, abused and under-socialized animals a chance to grow or heal before finding their forever homes. In addition, fostering animals creates space in the shelter to accommodate other homeless animals. Please fill out the FOSTER VOLUNTEER APPLICATION and email to Jillian.Ganley@santacruzcountyca.gov

Thank you for your patience during this time. We receive hundreds of emails each week.

Please allow up to 72 hours for a response.  

Foster Program FAQs

  • Animals too young and/or immature to be adopted
  • Animals that require more socialization than available at the shelter
  • Older or senior animals that will be more comfortable in a home environment
  • Injured animals and/or those recovering from surgery
  • Neglected or abused animals that need tender loving care
  • Animals suffering from “shelter stress” in need of a calming home environment
  • Animals with colds or with special medical needs
  • Abandoned mothers with litters under 8 weeks of age
  • Any animal when the shelter becomes too crowded

  • Foster volunteers feed, groom, socialize, train, and medicate (when necessary) the animal during its stay in the foster home
  • Foster volunteers work with the shelter to find homes for their foster animal when the animal is healthy and ready to be available for adoption.
  • Foster volunteers follow shelter adoption guidelines at all times, and shelter staff has final approval of all adoptions.

  • Foster volunteers must be able to provide a safe, loving and stable environment for the foster animal.
  • Experience with animal behavioral or medical issues is a plus, but it is not necessary.
  • Foster volunteers must be patient, as well as be willing to nurse any injury and/or illness with the understanding that some animals may not recover from their injuries or illness.
  • Foster volunteers must be able to transport their foster animal to and from the Santa Cruz County Animal Shelter during business hours, should the need arise.