The Power of Companion Animals and The Benefits of Fostering a Pet

Kristen Tump found remarkable success in her emerging business career but felt something was missing. That “something” was discovered eight years ago when she adopted her cat, Maddie, from Orphans of the Storm Animal Shelter in Deerfield.

Note: This story previously appeared in North Shore Senior Center’s Engage Magazine accessible at the link below:

https://www.nssc.org/assets/uploads/2022/07/NSSC_2022_FallMagCat_Final_web.pdf

As a child, Kristen always wanted to work with animals, originally going to school as a pre-veterinary student. She began volunteering at Orphans of the Storm (OOTS) and “felt joy knowing I was part of a team that was there for the same purpose—to care for and better the lives of the animals. I knew I had found a home.”

Kristen, who serves as OOTS volunteer and event coordinator, supports the pet adoption services and the new pet fostering program, “which presents a wonderful opportunity for older adults, in particular, to connect with pets on a temporary basis,” she pointed out.

Social isolation and loneliness: The power of companion animals

Social isolation and loneliness are a growing public health epidemic. More than one-third of Americans older than 65 and half of those over 85 live alone.

A nationally representative survey of pet owners and non-pet owners commissioned by HABRI (Human Animal Bond Research Institute) https://habri.org/research/mental-health/social-isolation/ and Mars Petcare found that:

• 85% of respondents agree interaction with pets can help reduce loneliness
• 76% agree human-pet interactions can help address social isolation
• 72% believe human-animal interaction is good for their community

During a recent discussion session, Kristen shared her insights about the new “Foster a Pet in Need” program and pointers for older adults considering the idea.

Explore fostering a pet: a path to help alleviate social isolation

If anyone is interested in fostering a pet, the best place to start is by checking out adoption places like OOTS, PAWS, Wagging Hearts, Wright-Way Rescue, and C.A.R.E. On most websites, you can see which animals are available for foster, along with their unique needs.

According to Kristen, most medical fosters are usually seniors or animals going through procedures like heartworm treatment, surgeries, etc. OOTS “training” fosters are those animals that may need a little extra attention, guidance, or even just a place to decompress as they may be experiencing stress in the shelter environment.

Foster pets need a “little extra love and support”

At OOTS, the pool of animals available for foster tends to be smaller, as the foster program prioritizes those animals that may need a little more care and patience. “While our foster program is new, we continue to build our group of foster families which will allow us to help even more animals while they await their forever homes,” Kristen said.

These animals might be seniors that need a soft place to rest before finding their permanent family. Others may better recover from medical ailments in the comfort of a caring home. Some simply may be long-term residents struggling to thrive at the shelter.

What else is there to know about fostering a pet?

· Before fostering, decide if you have a timeline of how long you want or would like to do it. Some animals may need a specific length of stay (i.e., medical recovery).

· Ensure you are able and willing to assist with meet and greets with potential adopters.

· While all animals are individuals, it is important to do your research as certain behaviors are more prevalent in specific breeds (i.e., certain breeds have different energy levels).

· Have a support system; it can make a world of difference when you are getting to know an animal.

· You can get started by transporting dogs to appointments to increase your comfort levels.

· Don't be afraid to ask questions!

Holli Moore’s fostering experience: “Endless hours of entertainment”

Holli Moore, an Evanston resident, has fostered kittens from Wagging Hearts. She found that they were “endless hours of entertainment. It was fun to see the different personalities. Some were scared, some were playful, some liked to snuggle, and they have cute, quirky habits.”

Exploring the idea of fostering a cat? Holli recommends that you “figure out a contained area where you can keep them. We used our finished basement, but as they got older and more settled, we let them into the rest of the house. Usually, we had two kittens. You need to have time to give them attention and play with them.

“If you enjoy pets but can’t have them or don’t want a long-term commitment, fostering is wonderful. It was sad to adopt out the cats, but I was excited that they went to good homes—and then it was fun to get a new batch.”

To learn more about OOTS fostering and adopting program, contact Kristen Tump at kristen@orphansofthestorm.org or visit: https://orphansofthestorm.org/ or call 847-945-0235.