Our foster care program provides temporary safe and loving homes to kittens, cats, and dogs until they can return to our Adoption Center and be adopted by their new family. This program offers a second chance to many animals who would not thrive in a shelter environment. Animals enter the Foster Program because they are not ready to be put up for adoption, either because of behavior reasons or because they are too young, sick, or injured. Animals that have been in the shelter for extended stays can also benefit from some time in a stable and nurturing home environment. Fosters can last for as little as a few days or as long as 4-6 weeks depending on the case.

Foster Orientations

Contact the Foster Care Coordinator to sign up and fill out an application. The orientation will introduce you to the different foster opportunities we have and the needs and benefits of each one. It will also include essential information on confinement areas, socialization, foster supplies, and other common concerns.

Points to Consider

Almost anyone can become a successful foster parent with a little education, flexibility, and commitment. There are however, some important points to consider before signing up for an orientation:

• Foster animals must be kept separate from any resident animals. 

• Foster parents will need to commit to spending the minimum amount of time with their foster animal.

• Foster parents must be able to bring their animals in to the hospital for check-ups and urgent care.

• Foster parents must agree to bring their foster animals back to the shelter at the end of the foster period.

Have you found kittens?

The warm months of spring and summer known as Kitten Season have many people wondering what to do when they discover a litter of kittens right in their own backyard. Here are a few tips:

If you find kittens, try not to disturb them but keep a close watch. While it is important to make sure that they are safe, they may be waiting for their mother to return. The most common indication that a kitten is getting fed by the mother is that it is chunky and looks well groomed.

If you see that a kitten is skinny and sickly looking or if the mother does not return, then it may well need your help. During business hours (11AM to 6PM) you can take the kittens directly to San Francisco Animal Care and Control. Be sure to wrap the kittens in a warm towel or blanket immediately.  

If you already have the kittens in your care it is important to note their age. Kittens with eyes closed or younger than four weeks are HIGH NEEDS. Call Animal Care and Control immediately so the health and age of the kittens can be assessed. They require care and bottle feeding every two hours and have extremely fragile immune systems.

After hours, call (415) 554-6364 to arrange a pick-up with an Animal Care and Control officer. It is important to bring the kittens to a vet as soon as possible. Please be aware that all kittens brought to Pets Unlimited are considered under your guardianship and will be your financial responsibility.

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If you are interested in our Foster Program, please contact our  Foster Coordinator at 415-568-3065 or email foster@petsunlimited.org.