The SPCA's Fostering Programme is designed to enable us to save the lives of young animals that may otherwise be euthanased. Fostering animals is a way of providing individual care and accommodation as an alternative to housing them in a kennel atmosphere or having them euthanased. Accommodation at the SPCA is limited and so we are restricted on the numbers we are able to take and adequately care for.

By fostering animals out to loving, caring homes until space becomes available and/or they are older and better able to cope with kennel life, we are able to give more animals the chance of finding a loving, caring home. Occasionally we may also foster out animals with minor health problems, so that they can be provided with the necessary care to bring them back to full heath.

We require our foster caregivers to be at home most of the day and to have had experience in looking after young animals, with a readiness to dedicate their time to giving love and care to an animal in need. We also require persons who are prepared to collect the foster animal from the SPCA and return it for any vet checks and check-ups during its stay and and the end of its foster period. The SPCA will provide some food, litter trays, and a carrier for the start of the fostering period, but asks that any subsequent food be supplied by the foster home thereafter. SPCA will provide medication for the animal (if needed) during the fostering period. The foster carer must also be easily contactable so the SPCA can reach the foster carer at any time during regular hours.

Our animals are usually cared for in a foster home for a time period of one week to approximately a month, depending on the animals needs and circumstances. It is not easy and it may involve considerable cleaning up, as the animals fostered out are often not toilet-trained. They can also be very playful and active chewing on your possessions or knocking them down.

The hardest part of being a foster home is having to return the animal back to the SPCA shelter after you have become emotionally attached, so it can be put up for adoption. Can you cope? It does have its fun side though and many get great rewards from being able to help animals in this way.

Anyone wishing to be considered for the role of foster caregiver needs to print out and complete our SPCA Foster Care Application Form.

Once completed, please email it to:
The Shelter Manager
shelter@spca.org.sg

All applicants meeting our criteria will then have a short interview, in order for the applicant to ask any individual questions they may have. Once screened and accepted, they will be added to our list of foster caregivers and contacted when suitable animals come up for adoption.

For more information about the programme, or to get specific questions answered about fostering, please contact the Shelter Manager at 6287 5355 ext. 13 during office hours.