Columbus animal shelter continues search for foster families

Columbus Animal Care Services is looking for residents willing to provide foster homes for animals, both to help overcrowding at the city-owned shelter and to keep the youngest animals healthy.

Shelter manager Nicohl Birdwell-Goodin explains that while the shelter needs future volunteers to foster dogs, the current need is for temporary homes for cats.

Birdwell-Goodin said that young kittens are still building their immune systems after vaccinations and it could risk their health to be around other cats. The hope is that many of the kittens could be taken care of at foster homes while their immune system is maturing.

The shelter is seeing its annual surge in the number of kittens arriving at the shelter. And the shelter is not the best place for the young animals.:

In addition to overall size constraints at the shelter, it is also overcrowded because of the move to become a no-kill shelter several years ago.

Birdwell-Goodin said that the shelter would like to build up its list of potential foster homes.

There is an application process.

She said there are differing levels of foster care opportunities available.

If you want to be part of the shelter’s foster care program you can call (812) 376-2505.