Foster Manager - Kelly Ledtje

Foster Assistant - coming soon!

Cat Coordinator - Olivia Dye

Email: 

• foster@kyhumane.org (general questions or concerns)

• fostertech@kyhumane.org (medical questions or concerns)

Office: 502-366-3355 (ext 4007)

Emergency Line:  502-515-3135

Please note: Email is the most effective way of communication as we have several staff members monitoring our inbox. We do not communicate via text or Facebook as these are not reliable forms of communication for our entire team to keep up with. Thank you for your understanding!

Animals that enter the foster program do so for many reasons and can spend anywhere from a few days to a few months in foster depending on their reason for foster placement. Animals that need to be placed in foster typically are:

Too young or underweight

Kittens and puppies, either in a litter, paired with another orphan kitten or puppy, or alone, are fostered until they reach eight weeks old and weigh two pounds. Most kittens and puppies are fostered from 2-6 weeks. These animals do not have a mama that comes with them, and in some instances may need bottle-feeding.

Nursing moms and babies

Litters of kittens and puppies with their moms remain in foster until all of the babies are eight weeks old or weigh two pounds. There are instances when the mom pushes a baby away or a baby will not nurse, so sometimes supplemental bottle-feeding is required. Generally, mom does all of the work until the babies begin to have teeth. She will feed them, stimulate them to go to the bathroom, and clean up after them.

Member of the Safe Haven or Safety Net programs

KHS partners with the Center for Women and Families for our Safe Haven program. This program provides temporary care for those affected by domestic violence while they seek services and housing. It’s important not to photograph these animals, share them on social media, and to restrict their time spent out in the greater community. These animals can remain in foster for up to three months.

Our Safety Net program provides foster care for owned pets while their owners are temporarily unable to care for them due to illness/injury, housing crisis or other emergency. This program is often a last resort for families whose only alternative would be to give up their beloved pet.

Ill or recovering from injuries or surgery

Dogs and cats recovering from minor and common health ailments will be sent to foster to recover outside of the shelter in a calm and quiet setting. While these are usually minor issues, it’s still recommended that these animals remain separated from resident animals to avoid spreading any illness. We also receive animals that require special surgeries such as amputations that need time in foster to recover.

Members of the Adoption Ambassador Program

Adoption ambassador animals remain in foster care until adoption. Any animal that goes to foster is eligible to stay on foster until adopted (with occasional exceptions), but sometimes we have animals who we specifically want in this program. These animals are often too scared in the shelter, are young and active and don't do well in the shelter, or have other needs that make them unsuited to be on the adoption floor. These animals remain in foster until adopted, which can take anywhere from a few weeks to a few months with the average length of stay being 1 month or less. Animals are also listed on our website with professional photos.  

Before bringing your foster animal home, it’s important to have a suitable place for them to stay that’s already prepared, such as a bathroom. The room should:

• •  Be temperature controlled (and indoors!)

  • Disinfected with a mild bleach solution (1 part bleach to 32 parts water)

  • Separate from household pets

  • Able to withstand messes such as vomit, feces, urine, spilled water, etc.

  • Free of breakable or fragile items

  • Free of electrical wires with all outlets blocked

  • Free of small items

  • Have secured windows that are closed or screened off

  • Have secured appliances

  • Have toilet seats closed

KHS provides all of the supplies you’ll need to properly care for your foster free of charge!

When you welcome your foster animal(s) into your home, here are a few ways you can set them up for success!

• Do not put too much on your foster animal right away. Allow them a chance to settle in to your home without a lot of visitors coming over. It can be very exciting to have a new foster animal, but they have gone through a lot of changes in a short period of time and need the opportunity to adjust.

• It’s important to keep dogs and puppies crated when unattended, or in a separate, enclosed room.

• Unless dogs are in a fenced area, they should always be kept on a leash while outdoors.

  • Refrain from taking puppies outside until they’re 4-5 weeks of age and have received their first round of vaccinations.

• Do not bring foster dogs or puppies to the dog park!

  • It’s unsafe and can create the potential for fighting, conflict, disease transmission, and potential injury.

• Be aware of the ASPCA Toxic and Non-Toxic Plants List. There are common plants that are toxic to animals when ingested and must be removed from the animal’s reach: 

  • Lilies

  • Sago palms

  • Aloe plants

  • Asparagus Ferns

Foster animals should be isolated from your household pets for the first 7-10 days, regardless of sickness.

Foster animals should be isolated from your household pets for the first 7-10 days. Other things to consider are:

• Mother dogs with puppies

Mama dogs are likely to be highly protective of their puppies, and should be completely isolated from other pets when she’s with them.

• Ill animals

Animals suffering from illness should be completely isolated from other animals in the home. Wash your hands thoroughly with an antibacterial soap after handling foster animals regardless of whether or not they are known to be sick.

• Shared items

Do not allow your animals to share toys, dishes, or litter pans with foster animals.

• Puppies

Puppies cannot be introduced to any other animals until they have their first round of vaccinations. 

If your foster pup is over 6 weeks and you have a friendly resident dog, you can introduce them slowly under your supervision after the 7-10 day quarantine period. Please remember that there’s always the chance that a puppy could still transmit illness to your animal. KHS provides all vet care to the foster animal, but cannot treat your animal, even if it contracts something you believe came from the foster animal. Introduce animals at your own risk.

For the first two weeks after birth, mom does everything necessary to care for her babies. Mom and her litter should be mostly left alone, besides to feed her and provide potty breaks. Provide them with a quiet, private, and calm nesting area, and allow mom to have a few days to adjust to her new space. Make sure she has access to fresh food, water, and a clean nesting area.

Each mother dog is different. Some may allow you to handle and interact with her puppies, but some may not. If she’s okay with you handling her puppies, doing so throughout the day is a great way to begin socializing them early. Mother dogs may be allowed to interact with your animals AFTER being separated completely from her puppies. Mom needs socialization as well, but give her the opportunity to approach you, and stop the session immediately if you notice signs of aggression such as swishing tail, ears laid back, head jerks toward you, tensing up, moving away, or growling. Move slowly and use caution when reaching into the nesting area.

When fostering a mom and puppies, watch for:

• Maternal aggression

It’s normal for mom to be aggressive toward people and other animals while she’s around her puppies. Do not introduce household animals to her at this time. If the aggression becomes severe, contact the foster team for assistance.

• Maternal neglect

In about 8% of cases, puppies die due to poor maternal care. Some dogs lack maternal instincts, or stop caring for sick or weak puppies. Environmental stress can contribute to such cases, so take care to provide a calm space for her and her litter. Contact the foster team if you notice signs such as the mother avoiding feeding and grooming, or if she begins ignoring their cries.

Puppies

• Weaning can occur gradually around 4-5 weeks using food soaked in warm water or mixed with canned food. After the puppy begins to accept the solid food, gradually reduce the amount of water with each subsequent feeding. Begin offering dry food on a free feeding basis.

• Puppies should be fed frequent, small meals, rather than 1 - 2 big meals each day. Click here for more info.

Feeding Adult Dogs

• The amount of food a dog needs daily is determined by its weight. The recommended amount can be split in two and fed twice during the day. We recommend feeding foster dogs separate from other pets and away from children. Pick up the bowl and put it away when they finish eating. Use the feeding chart on this page to determine how much your foster animal will need.

Discouraging puppy mouthing while they’re still young is very important. When the puppy is mouthing on something inappropriate, redirect their attention to an appropriate chew toy or chew by placing it in the puppy’s mouth. This teaches them appropriate chewing behavior positively.

If the puppy becomes overly excited and mouthy, you can employ “time-outs,” where you either leave the room or ignore the puppy completely. If you do this, leave the puppy with something appropriate to chew. Puppies need to chew. It’s a normal part of their teething process. You can provide chew toys, carrots, apples, or ice cubes to help satisfy their urges to chew. 

To discourage inappropriate chewing, make sure they don’t have access to items they’re not supposed to chew, spray off-limits items with Bitter Apple (a bad-tasting product available at most pet stores), and confine them to a crate, or other puppy promoted area,  when they’re unsupervised.

The most important age for a puppy’s socialization is between three weeks and three months, when they’re biologically primed to learn that new experiences are positive. It’s the most crucial, sensitive part of a puppy’s social life. Socialization does not involve just exposing puppies to new things, but actively working to ensure that every experience they have is a positive one. Whenever a puppy meets a new person, ensure it’s a positive and fun experience that involves lots of treats and praise. If your puppy seems fearful, go slowly. 

Take any opportunity to expose your puppy to these situations with lots of treats and praise:

• People

MEN – tall, bearded, variety of ethnicities, younger, older, men with canes/walkers, hats, etc.

WOMEN – tall, younger, variety of ethnicities, older, with purses, walkers, canes, crutches, etc.

CHILDREN – behaviorally inappropriate; keep puppies on ground

• Behaviors

Laughing, talking loudly, walking, jogging, running, etc. 

• Items

Vacuums (off), mops, brooms, bikes, skate boards, tricycles, lawnmowers (off), etc. 

• Surfaces

Grass, concrete, stairs, carpet, tiles, hardwood, etc. 

• Health & Grooming

Nail clippers (not used), touch paws, touch ears, touch tail 

Fleas

All puppies over four weeks old are treated with Advantage Multi by KHS before they go to a foster home.  

Foster puppies should NEVER be flea-dipped, flea-powdered, or flea-collared. These products are toxic, and can even cause adverse reactions in adults. If you notice fleas on your puppy, we can treat them with a mild flea preventative. You can also give them a bath with Dawn dish soap and keep their bedding clean to prevent and eliminate flea infestations.

Mange

Mange is caused by parasites that infect the skin of an animal. Some forms of mange are contagious to other animals and humans. If you notice excessive itching, hair loss, or sores on your animal, contact the foster team for treatment information.

Upper Respiratory Infection (URI)

URIs are common and caused by contagious viruses and bacteria. Look for signs of:

• Sneezing and discharge from eyes/nose

• Congested breathing

• Loss of appetite

• Lethargy (lack of energy)

• Dehydration

Parvovirus

Parvovirus is a deadly and contagious virus that attacks a dog’s gastrointestinal tract. Once parvovirus is present in an environment it can be difficult to remove. It’s transported through direct contact with contaminated feces. Signs of parvo include:

• Lethargy

• Dehydration

• Loss of appetite

• Abdominal pain and bloating

• Fever

• Low body temperature

• Vomiting

• Severe diarrhea with and without blood

If you notice signs of Parvovirus, you MUST contact the foster team IMMEDIATELY. Successful treatment of parvo is directly tied to how quickly treatment is started.

The spread of disease can be greatly reduced by practicing thorough, frequent hand washing hygiene before and after coming into contact with your foster animal. You should also clean and disinfect items frequently. Soaps and detergents are cleaning agents that suspend dirt and grease and break up organic matter, but do not necessarily disinfect. Disinfectants are chemical solutions that kill germs. Bleach is a common disinfectant. When bleach is diluted to a ratio of one part bleach to 32 parts water, it makes a great solution for disinfecting surfaces.

Some conditions that can spread to humans are:

• Rabies

Rabies is transmitted through a virus carried in saliva. Signs of rabies include personality and behavioral changes, loss of coordination, difficulty swallowing, seizures, and death. Rabies is fatal, and there is no cure in humans or animals. All animals over 4 months of age at KHS are vaccinated for rabies upon intake.

• Roundworms

Almost every puppy is born with roundworms contracted from its mother. These worms can be transmitted to people, especially children. Most infections in people are mild and display little to no symptoms, but cases can be more severe. The puppies feces should be removed and disposed of daily, and everyone who handles the puppy should wash their hands frequently, especially children who tend to put their hands in their mouths often.

• Ringworm

Ringworm is not a worm at all, but a fungal infection on the skin. It can be difficult to diagnose in animals because the lesions can vary in their presentation. Some animals can carry the fungus in their coat without displaying symptoms. In people, the classic lesion is a raised, red ring.

KHS provides all routine veterinary care that your foster animal will need. Our veterinary staff is available at our Steedly location Monday-Friday from 8:30-3. Our veterinary technicians can also provide minor care, administer medications, and administer vaccinations on the weekends and during the evening. All routine care, including vaccines, foster pick ups, and foster returns, require appointments. Please remember that KHS cannot reimburse you for emergency or routine care provided to your foster animal by an outside veterinarian.

Vaccinations

All cats and dogs over one month old are vaccinated upon arrival to the shelter. Adults receive a round of booster shots two weeks after their initial vaccination while kittens under the age of four weeks receive booster shots every two weeks. Animals will also need to return for their spay and neuter surgery prior to going up for adoption around eight weeks, when they’re at least two pounds and eating primarily dry food. The foster team will contact you when your animal is due for their vaccinations. Vaccinations are only done at the main Steedly campus by appointment.

Congratulations! You have saved a life!

When it’s time to return your foster animal for adoption, the foster team will contact you to arrange the return. Please email any photos you have of the animal. We also provide a link to a form so you can provide a description of the dog’s personality and behavior to share with potential adopters..

All foster parents are encouraged to promote the animal for adoption on social media and to friends, family, or other potential adopters. If someone is interested in adopting the animal, their information must be provided before or at drop off to ensure that they’re held for adoption. Adoption prices are as follows:

Under 5mth - $350 - $400

5mth – 7yr - $200 - $250

7yr+ - $100 - $150

When your foster animal is adopted, we will let you know! Otherwise, all animals up for adoption can be viewed and monitored on our website on the available animals page.

As an Adoption Ambassador, you will foster a shelter animal in need while they remain available for adoption. Any animal that goes to foster is eligible to remain there while up for adoption (with occasional exceptions).

This program is unique because we are not faced with physical limitations of the shelter walls and are therefore given endless opportunities to help pets in need. It helps us to have more space available for new animals entering the shelter, animals adopted out of foster homes are less likely to be returned, and the animal is able to live in a home environment and never has to come back to the shelter!

As an Adoption Ambassador, you are taking your foster commitment to the next level. These fosters will require a lot of participation on your part to help them find a forever home. If you enjoy taking your dogs out and about, would be comfortable speaking with interested adopters and are good at advertising on social media, these fosters will be great for you!

All foster parents are encouraged to promote the adoption of their foster pet to friends, family, and other potential adopters.