Foster Homes For Pets Up Since Stay-At-Home Order

Foster Homes For Pets Up Since Stay-At-Home Order
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Since Illinois Governor J.B. Pritzker issued a statewide stay-at-home order on March 20, foster homes for shelter animals have gone up.

More Foster Homes

The Naperville Area Humane Society said within two days of the executive order, 15 animals were put into a foster home.

“We have more animals that we’re going to be placing in foster, and endless applications that keep coming in that we’re trying to keep up with,” said Kristen Funk, executive director of the Naperville Area Humane Society.

Application Waiting List

Around 100 applications for fostering a pet flooded the Humane Society’s system and caused it to crash. They ask if you are applying to foster to be patient.

As a result of the stay-at-home order, the Humane Society is not currently taking any adoption applications. But they do offer the foster-to-adopt program, which can be found on their website.

“Before the shelter-in-place went out we were doing pretty good with adoptions because people are at home and it is the right time,” said Funk. “Hopefully that will increase as well with some of the animals that are at foster.”

Funk said as a result of so many cats and dogs being fostered, the Humane Society has been able to bring in more animals to their shelter. Around 17 pets are currently being evaluated by doctors, and once finished, will be available to foster.

Giving Up Pets Due To COVID-19

The Humane Society said they’ve also received phone calls of people having to give up their pets due to loss of income and uncertainty of their personal situation because of the COVID-19 pandemic.

“We’ve already actually taken in two dogs from a lady who is stuck in China and she has a family member out here that we coordinated with. So her dogs were surrendered to us because she doesn’t know when she’ll be back in this country,” said Funk. “Situations like that we’ll help in a case of emergency, otherwise we can only take in what space allows.”

Funk says the more cats or dogs that are fostered and eventually adopted, the more pets they can take in.

If you’re interested in fostering a cat or dog you can check out the Humane Society’s website so a pet can hopefully find their fur-ever home.

Naperville News 17’s Christian Canizal reports.

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