With Baby Season soon on its way, we are recruiting volunteers to register and prepare to provide temporary homes and hands-on care for kittens in need in the coming months.
Sign up today to attend our Kitten Shower on Sunday, March 29, 2026 to learn more. This informational event includes a foster baby "gift registry," foster demos, foster registration, and more!
Foster Volunteers play a crucial role in saving animals' lives. They take animals into their own homes and care for them on a short-term basis until they are ready to enter our adoption program. In spring and summer, Woods Humane Society has many kittens in need of foster care because they are not yet old enough for their spay or neuter surgeries. Throughout the year, adult cats and dogs may also need to be fostered as they receive medical care, socialization to overcome shyness, or behavior modification and training. Woods trains foster volunteers and provides all of the pet care supplies necessary.
What Animals Can You Foster?
- Kittens and Puppies under 8 weeks – with or without Mom - Kittens and puppies need to be at least 8 weeks before adoption, but it’s very dangerous for such young babies to stay in a shelter environment with so many other animals. Plus, they need to be around people to grow up as social, well-adjusted pets! Length of stay: 1-8 weeks, depending on age.
- Animals receiving medical care - Dogs and cats that are waiting for or recovering from surgery (orthopedic, dental or other) often thrive in a home environment instead of a shelter! Lower stress levels helps to keep them healthy and allows them to fully rest and recover after a procedure. Diagnosing unknown conditions can be a lengthy process, and while we wait for test results and imaging, these animals don’t need to stay in a kennel! They would love to live at home with you while we work on their medical plans. Length of stay: 1-8 weeks, depending on the procedure and recovery time.
- Dogs and puppies awaiting spay or neuter - When dogs and puppies are waiting more than 2-3 days for a routine spay or neuter, we like to send them out to foster for the weekend! It helps the dogs keep their stress levels low, keeps them from being exposed to contagious diseases such as kennel cough, and lets us get to know more about what they’ll be like in a home, so that we can help match them with the perfect forever home!
Length of stay: 4 days-2 weeks
We have foster opportunities in both San Luis Obispo (cats & dogs) & Atascadero (cats only). Please click the button below to submit a foster interest form. You can also find a wish-list of our most needed foster care supplies here.
