Page last updated on June 12, 2024 at 2:31 pm
Our neonatal population makes up our highest demand for foster placement, especially during the months of May through October. If you are interested in becoming a neonatal foster please contact the Foster Program Coordinator, Robyn Peffinger, peffingr@bloomington.in.gov to get scheduled for a Neonatal Care Orientation. This orientation is about one hour long, takes place at the shelter, and serves as an introduction to caring for neonates.
Our neonatal population is made up of:
- Pregnant moms;
- Kittens with moms (nursing);
- Kittens without moms (bottle babies);
- Puppies with moms (nursing);
- Puppies without mom (bottle babies).
Is fostering kittens or puppies right for you?
Fostering neonates requires a larger time commitment than some of our other animals. If you are fostering bottle babies, you would need to be able to feed them every 2-4 hours, depending on their age. We also ask that our neonatal fosters have a safe, isolated space in their home designated for their neonates. We can supply fosters with crates, cat condos, and xpens as we have them available, but availability is not always guaranteed. Other great spaces for puppies or kittens include bathrooms, guest spaces, or any other small secure areas of your home. If you have the time and the space to care for kittens and puppies, then you could make a great neonatal foster!
The Basics of Neonatal Care:
THE TWO MOST IMPORTANT RULES
- Kittens/puppies must always be kept warm.
- Kittens/puppies must be fed on a schedule appropriate for their age.
Feeding
It is important that you feed your neonates the appropriate food on the appropriate schedule for their age. If you have puppies or kittens with a mom that is nursing, you should still monitor them to ensure that they are all eating enough and everyone is healthy. If you are fostering bottle babies, we will do the first feeding with you and make sure you are comfortable doing it at home.
Weight Tracking/Medical Monitoring
We will give you a weight tracking sheet and a scale, if needed, to keep track of their weight. This sheet is also a great resource for noting other health or behavior related observations you make while caring for neonates. It is not uncommon for neonates to get sick while in foster care, so do not worry or be too hard on yourself. What is important is that you reach out to us as soon as you notice signs of illness so that we can get ahead of it. We will always walk you through giving medications, and if you are ever uncomfortable with caring for a sick neonate we completely understand and will take over.
We will also ask you to bring your neonates in for vaccinations as needed. This is dependent on the animal, and we will always keep you informed on what vaccines your fosters need and when.
Socializing
You can help your fosters learn how to be awesome pets for their future adopters by socializing them early on. We ask that neonatal fosters work on socializing their fosters by handling them, playing with them, grooming, and introducing them to various people and situations.
Adoption Time:
Kittens and puppies are typically fostered until they are eight weeks old, or two pounds, at which time they are able to have their spay/neuter surgery. On the day that their surgery is scheduled, we ask that fosters drop their pups/kits off at the shelter between 8-8:15 am. After they have recovered from their surgery they are ready to be put up for adoption! If at anytime you think you may be interested in adopting any of your fosters, we highly recommend putting in an adoption application ASAP. The application is not a binding contract, it just ensures that you are first in line to potentially adopt the animal of your choosing. This is especially important with puppies and kittens because once they are made available for adoption they typically go fast.