Cochrane and Area Humane Society needs foster families to step up.

With the shelter building their 'Training and Rehabilitation Centre' on the premises beginning in spring, some animals will need to be relocated for a period of time.

Karla Bennett Volunteer Coordinator says they are needing foster families to add to their base to care for some animals during the construction phase.

"We currently have about 60 or 70 foster homes but about only 20 or 30 of those are what we consider active."

Bennett adds that they are looking for specific types of foster homes.

"Foster homes that can take dogs, potentially with no other dogs in the home or no other pets in the home period. That can take dogs that are in quarantine or maybe medical concerns."

Before getting into fostering, you want to take a look at your family life and determine whether fostering is a good fit.

"A lot of our foster animals, especially dogs, do need their own space away from potentially other animals in the home. So are you set up in the home? Do you have the time in your family life to devote to an animal? Sometimes those fosters require a bit more care especially if there's medical or behavior reasons for fostering."

When questioned how many families decide to keep their foster permanently, Bennett comments 'foster failures' are not as common as what you think.

"It doesn't happen as often as you think it might. It does definitely happen, it tends to happen more with our babies or singletons but most of our foster homes do return their pets; but it is an option for our foster homes to keep them."

The length of fostering will depend on the reason for why the animal is being fostered in the first place.

"We have fostering for a number of different reasons so for behaviour, medical, socialization; so depending on the reason for foster it could be a week foster or it could be months. But we do let our fosters know that up front."

Fostering a pet will not cost the family anything out of pocket as the Cochrane and Area Humane Society picks up the bill for food, bedding, litter for cats, and medical care at the shelter.

If you think you would be a great foster fur candidate you can find more information here, or visit the shelter on March 12th, noon - 2 pm, for their foster information day.

Marni Fedeyko - airdrienews@goldenwestradio.com