Earlier this week, I diaried, here and here about a contest in which a shelter recieves up to one million dollars for a "makeover". The voting lasts one week so this is my almost daily reminder for you to vote if you haven't done so.
Details on how to register and how to vote can be found in the link provided. And if you're a Kossack from one of the other shelters in the contest, you go! We're all in this together and while I'd dearly love to see the Central Missouri Humane Society, all of us could use the money and all of us are doing good things so here's hoping for the best!
Today, a story the trials and tribulations of cat fostering.
Since Oct 08, Mrs grog and I have been fostering cats for the Central Missouri Humane Society. Mrs grog also volunteers there so this was a natural outgrowth of that work.
I've chronicled our various fosters over in C&J. The most common reaction is "I could never turn them back in", particularly when I post endearing photos like this:
We've found that "turning them back in" hasn't been that hard...if we know they're setup with a Forever Home. And kittens are always adopted right off the bat. It's the adults that we have trouble with.
Here's an example, Brin:
Gorgeous cat. But she's not exactly a snuggle bunny. As such, in the shelter, she doesn't "present well". So, there she sits. That's what's so hard about fostering, particularly in a shelter that doesn't have tons of room and has to cycle the cats into the "public" section. Even then, the kittehs are dependent on the totally random nature of walk up traffic.
Another example, Tigger:
Now, he does present well, loves ya to death and is a great all around orange tabby. Alas, since he's not cute and cuddly, he's harder to place despite the fact he gets along great with other cats.
Fosters also die on you. We've had two develop FIP.
All in all, it's a rewarding experience and it's gotten us motivated to help the shelter as best we can. This contest offers a great near term chance for improvement to the facilities which are woefully inadequate to support a vast swath of Central Missouri.
Thanks for you time and support.