Santa Rosa Animal Services Updates Foster Guidelines & Resources

Santa Rosa County Animal Services has updated guidelines and highlighted available resources for its foster parents. The organization expressed gratitude for their commitment to caring for shelter animals, recognizing their crucial role in saving lives.

To ensure animal safety and community well-being, foster cats must remain indoors and be transported in carriers. Screened porches require secure screening to prevent escape, and doggie doors must be secured when cats are indoors. Foster dogs should also be kept indoors, preferably in kennels when owners are absent, and should not be taken to off-leash parks. Secure fencing is recommended for dog homes, or dogs must be leashed when outdoors.

Foster parents must respond to shelter communications within 24 hours. They are required to bring animals to the shelter for potential adopters and return animals if they can no longer provide care. Transferring care to a third party is prohibited. Any observed issues with a foster animal must be immediately reported to shelter staff. All resident animals must be rabies-vaccinated, with proof submitted during the application process. Changes in address or phone number require prompt notification to the shelter.

Santa Rosa County Animal Services offers a Foster Handbook with guides for cat/kitten and dog/puppy care. The Foster Profile Portal allows parents to set availability and preferences. The shelter also provides a system for scheduling medical exams and recommends the Maddie's Pet Assistant app for behavior and medical guidance. Information on kitten care is available on the Kitten Fostering Page, and general training resources can be found on the Training and Behavior Page.

A class titled "Marketing Your Foster Pet 101" offers tips on creating photos, videos, and social media posts to facilitate adoptions. Maddie's Fund provides condensed "Flash Classes" on various fostering topics. Foster parents can join the Santa Rosa County Animal Shelter Fosters and Volunteers Facebook group to connect with staff and other volunteers.

For questions or issues, foster parents can contact the shelter at 850-983-4680. After-hours emergencies can be directed to 850-281-5737. Foster Coordinator Jennifer Arn can be reached at [email protected] for more information.