Santa Barbara County Animal Services is looking for volunteers to foster the homeless, abandoned kittens coming into its three shelters.
Animal Services will hold a foster parent orientation from 1 p.m. to 3 p.m. Saturday at the Santa Maria Animal Center, 548 W. Foster Road.
Every year, as the weather starts warming up, the shelters are inundated with litters of kittens. Some have nursing mothers with them; others arrive orphaned and so young that they must be bottle-fed until they can eat on their own. Most are healthy, thriving kittens that need a safe place to grow until they are old enough to be adopted into a permanent home.
All that’s required to foster kittens is a safe and secure environment, extra time and lots of love. Training is provided, and families are encouraged to apply.
Hundreds of kittens enter county shelters each year, the finders stating that they didn’t see the mother cat. Residents who find a litter of kittens they think may be abandoned should contact their local Animal Services shelter before removing the kittens.
The Santa Maria Animal Shelter can be reached at 805.934.6119, the Lompoc Shelter at 805.737.7755 and the Santa Barbara Shelter at 805.681.5285.
Those interested in opening their hearts and home to a litter of orphaned kittens is invited to attend Saturday’s orientation.
For more information or to RSVP, call 805.934.6981. If you’re unable to be a foster parent but still wish to help, donations of wet or dry Science Diet kitten food or Kitten Milk Replacer also are needed.
— Susan Klein-Rothschild is a public information officer for Santa Barbara County Animal Services.