A local animal shelter is launching a new foster program.
The Humane Society of Cambria County is starting a foster program: you can either foster a dog for a day or foster a dog, cat or other animal for about two weeks.
“Take them on a hike, take them to Petco, take them to a drive-through. Just fun stuff you would do with your dog,” said Jessica Vamos, the executive director of the humane society.
The goal of the new program is to socialize the animals, raise awareness in the community for pet adoption and find the animals permanent, loving homes.
Taylor Lapinsky already has two dogs, three cats and a hamster, so she can’t adopt another animal, but she said she would foster a pet.
“A lot of these animals are really sweet, young or old. all of them deserve a good home,” Lapinsky said.
The long-term foster program is designed to help animals with health or behavioral issues heal or socialize.
“We do have a hard time telling what an animal will be like here at the shelter because it’s not a home setting. It’s a cage and you see animals act a lot differently when they’re in a cage rather than when they’re outside of one,” Vamos said.
The shelter will do background checks and speak with your veterinarian and other personal references to make sure you are a good fit to foster an animal. Eventually, the shelter hopes to launch a foster-to-adoption program, too.
If you’d like to foster a pet, you can pick up an application at the shelter or online and drop off your application in person at the Humane Society of Cambria County:
743 Galleria Drive Extension, Johnstown, PA 15904
P: 814-535-6116