Volunteer and Foster Programs
FieldHaven’s volunteer base, which began with only a handful of volunteers in late 2003, has grown to over 100 people who provide assistance in a variety of areas.
Our rather active youth volunteer program encourages children (with the supervision of an adult family member) to help with everything from cat care to fostering to assisting adoption counselors interview potential adopters. FieldHaven’s mission includes educating the public on responsible pet ownership, with a core focus on children as the missionaries of the message to future generations. We feel it is important to promote volunteerism and involvement for children in the operation of the organization. Many young volunteers participate to fulfill their community service requirements for school.
Foster homes are an integral part of our success, as they provide shelter and care for up to 60% of the cats in our care. In addition to increasing our shelter space, foster parents fill a niche in several special need areas, such as:
- Bottle-feeding orphaned kittens
- Caring for moms with litters
- Providing a comfortable and safe environment for kittens too young for adoption
- Socializing shy or semi-feral kittens and cats
- Rehabilitating cats with medical, social, or behavior issues
FieldHaven supports the cost of maintaining animals in foster homes by supplying food, equipment, and all medical care. Foster parents must comply with our stringent guidelines and policies, as well as pass our screening criteria before being approved as a suitable foster home.
Many foster applicants are families looking to care for kittens as part of a family project, thus expanding our education program while helping us care for more animals. It is a terrific “win-win,” as it also expands our networking since the kittens are often exposed to the family’s circle of acquaintances, meaning potential adoptions!
I feel truly blessed that I found a place with people as loving and caring as everyone at FieldHaven.
– Volunteer
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