Become a foster

Contact: Brenda F. Barnette, General Manager

Email: Brenda.barnette@lacity.org                                                                                    Phone: (213) 482-9558

EXPANDED FOSTER PROGRAM for LOS ANGELES SHELTER PETS

How You Can Help From Home

Immediate Foster Homes Needed! Our Animal Care Centers are filled to over flowing. You can become a volunteer hero by opening a spare room, garage or basement to an adult dog or cat that will benefit from home care and a break from the shelter! We will assign you a foster animal who matches your lifestyle and animal experience. Time commitment can range from one to eight weeks or occasionally longer. All you need is a room (even a bathroom) and some spare time. We will provide fosters with basic training, all supplies, any necessary medications, and access to someone to answer your questions.

To join the Foster Program, please call our West Valley Animal Care Center at (213) 485-8405, Harbor Animal Care Center at (213) 485-8755 or email ani.webmaster@lacity.org for more information.  This is open to anyone who has a big heart and some extra room in your home!

About the Foster Parent Program:

Fostering is a rewarding and enriching experience, and is a great volunteer project for families or individuals who love animals but cannot commit to having a full-time animal companion. Fostering a cat or adult dog does take time, but not as much time as you might think. And a long term commitment isn’t necessary – even if you can only foster one time, you are still doing a wonderful thing by helping a cat or dog in need.

Said General Manager Brenda Barnette, "Our Los Angeles City Animal Care Centers have the most fabulous dogs and cats anywhere.  Unfortunately, we have so many wonderful orphaned animals that we have run out of space and are not able to give them the time and attention they deserve while we find them a new home. You can help and you will truly be making a life-saving difference".

Perhaps you have been thinking about adding a dog or cat to your family but you just aren’t ready for the 15-20 year commitment? By fostering, you can provide temporary care for a dog, cat, puppy, or kitten all the while receiving satisfaction in knowing that without your help, these animals would have otherwise had no chance at all.  Best of all, adult dogs and cats placed in foster care will be spayed or neutered before they go home with you and we promise to give your foster pet as long as it takes to get him or her a home of her own. More experienced fosters may raise and socialize puppies and kittens until they are 8 weeks old and ready to be spayed or neutered and adopted.

 Please consider fostering a pet – you’ll be a hero for the animals and they will love you for it!