How long have you been a foster and what inspired you to first become a foster?

I have been fostering since August 2022. I had a bunny named Pattycakes, I noticed that he was getting a little lonely. I wanted to get him a friend. I saw an article stating that AHS needed fosters for their bunnies, and I decided to take some in. Pattycakes loved every single one of my foster animals and had a special connection with each one. I really believe that having Pattycakes there helps the foster animals with the difficult transitions.

What are your favorite kinds of animals to foster and why?

I have fostered rabbits, kittens, and senior cats. I have enjoyed each type so much, but I have to say the senior cats were my favorite. The two cats that I have taken in, Fradee and Tucker, seemed so grateful to have a new start. They were also purring machines. Fradee was a big orange cat weighing 16 pounds and loved to sit on your chest. Tucker’s favorite thing to do is make “biscuits” in the comforter. Both of the cats have so much personality and it was an amazing experience to watch them come out of their shell and let their personality shine.

How did you decide that fostering an animal(s) would be a good fit for your family? What is some advice you would give to someone who is looking to become a foster?

All of the foster animals would be kept in my room upstairs until they were comfortable enough to roam around the upstairs. Since I had Pattycakes with me, I had to ensure they got along with him. I also live with my parents still so I wanted to make sure that my family was comfortable with the animals that I took in. Some advice that I would give is to be patient with the animals. When they come into your house, they will most likely be scared. But if you provide the space and love that they need, they will come out of their shell.

What is the most rewarding part about fostering for you?

Seeing the different personalities of the animals is one of the most rewarding parts of being a foster parent. My first foster animals were three little kittens. Each one of them had a unique personality. It was so much watching them develop and grow.

What is the most challenging part about fostering for you?

One of the most challenging parts of being a foster parent was suddenly losing Rogue; the mother bunny had been taking care of. I dropped her off at the vet to be spayed. However, she passed away under anesthesia. I was not excepting not to be picking her up, and I was certainly not ready to say goodbye.

 Can you share specifics about your favorite foster success story? And a story that was tricky to manage (maybe the animal just didn’t work in your home, it was ill, it required further intervention, etc)?

Around October of last year, I got a call about a bunny in the humane society that unexpectedly gave birth. Since I had three kittens at the moment, I had to put them in my mother’s room. It was quite an elaborate setup. However, seeing Rogue take care of her babies was worth the chaos. She was such a good mama to her five babies, Jean Grey, Firestar, Wolverine, Gambit, and Mirage. I got to watch the babies grow from little pink babies to big white bunnies. I even got to take back two of the babies later on because the humane society had too many bunnies.

Do you have your own pets? If so, how do you manage to care for your own pets while also fostering?

My family all together has three dogs and one cat. I also had my bunny Pattycakes while I was fostering. The dogs stayed downstairs while the foster animals stayed upstairs. Pattycakes spent all of his time with the foster animals helping them relax and be more comfortable with their temporary home.

 Do you do anything specific to intentionally prepare the animal you are caring for to become available for adoption? (i.e. socialization, exposure, training) and how do you manage that?

For the kittens and baby bunnies, I tried my best to socialize them with other animals and people. They all became very friendly. I would introduce them to my sister’s cat, and all of my friends.

 What do you want the public to know about what it means to be a foster parent and work with the Asheville Humane Society?

Being a foster parent has been very rewarding. I have gotten to see my foster animals grow and develop their own personalities. It has been an amazing experience. Asheville Humane Society made becoming a foster parent very simple and helped me through my fostering journey.

Have you ever had a foster “fail” yourself? And how did you know that animal belonged in your family permanently?

I definitely wanted to keep all of my foster animals at some point. However, since I am moving to college soon, I couldn’t keep any of them.