UPDATE: Dayton answers the call to help motherless kittens

“The response has been unheard of”

Tiny, motherless kittens needed help, and the community answered.

In the days since we first told you about a need for volunteers to bottle feed kittens, the Humane Society of Greater Dayton has five new fosters with two pending, and has sent 33 applications to people requesting to become a foster for an animal.

Typically, the organization may get one request for an application each week.

“The response has been unheard of,” said Jessica Garringer, marketing and development project manager for the Humane Society of Greater Dayton. “We’ve had such a wonderful response from people. I’ve been here six years and haven’t seen anything like it.”

The organization put a call out for fosters in mid-August after they saw a sudden increase in orphaned kittens, some just days old, who needed to be fed and cared for.

The organization provides foster training and pairs volunteers with mentors who are also caring for bottle baby kittens. Formula and supplies, crates and bedding, and medical care are all provided by the Humane Society of Greater Dayton.

Not only have they seen marked interest in fostering “bottle babies,” but people are also interested in fostering older kittens and puppies.

“People don’t realize how much of a need we have for volunteers, especially fosters,” Garringer said. “Keeping these animals in your home for a few weeks frees up cages so we can help additional animals in our community. The foster program is critical to our overall success in helping save nearly 2,000 animals every year.”

WANT TO KNOW MORE ABOUT FOSTERING AN ANIMAL? 

The Humane Society of Greater Dayton has more information on their website, www.hsdayton.org/foster.

For more information: (937) 262-5937 or foster@hsdayton.org

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