Fostering a pet is a rewarding way to help animals in need, offering them a safe, loving environment on their journey to a permanent home. Fostering opportunities are available for animals coming directly from the Okmulgee City Animal Shelter, those in boarding and sometimes for strays in need of rehoming.

— How Fostering Works

Fostering with the Okmulgee County Humane Society (OCHS) is completely free. OCHS provides food, supplies, toys, and all necessary veterinary care for the animal. As a foster, you help by transporting the pet to and from vet appointments, adoption Meet & Greets, and group adoption events. Most importantly, fosters provide love, socialization, training and observations about the animal’s personality. This helps us match each animal with the right permanent family.

Because fostering is temporary, it offers a wonderful solution for those interested in helping animals without the long-term commitment of adoption. Fosters are key in learning and sharing valuable insights about the pet, such as whether they’re housetrained, crate trained, leash trained, or good with kids, cats or other dogs – information that many adopters are looking for when considering a new family member. And if a foster family falls in love, they have the first option to adopt.

Interested in fostering? Here’s how it works:

• Apply to Foster: If you see an animal in need of a foster or want to volunteer to help, please fill out a foster application so we can learn more about you and keep in touch.

• Meet & Greet: We’ll schedule a Meet & Greet to make sure the animal is a fit for you and your household. Feel free to bring any current pets along for a full compatibility check.

• Foster Contract: If the Meet & Greet goes well, you’ll fill out a one-page foster contract and provide a city bill for proof of address.

• Supplies Provided: OCHS will equip you with everything you need – crate, food, toys, puppy pads, collar, leash and more – so you can focus on giving the animal a great fostering experience.

• Veterinary Care Covered: We handle all veterinary costs for your foster pet. You’re only responsible for contacting OCHS for approval. Once we submit the authorization, you will be responsible for scheduling the appointment and transporting the pet to and from the vet’s office.

• Updates & Photos: We ask that you send us photos, videos, and personality descriptions during your fostering journey. This helps us feature the animal on our website and social media, which accelerates the process of finding the right adopter.

• Adoption Matching: We carefully review adoption applications and, once approved, arrange Meet & Greets with potential adopters that align with all schedules.

• Your Input Matters: Your feedback is crucial. If you feel an adopter isn’t the best match for your foster, we value and welcome your perspective.

• Adoption Day: Once everyone agrees on a match, the adopters complete an adoption contract and take home their new furry family member!

— Why Fostering Matters

Fostering not only changes the life of the animal in your care but also helps open up space for other pets in need. By fostering, you’re playing a crucial role in preparing animals for adoption and giving them a better chance at finding their forever homes.

— What Fosters Have to Say

“I have fostered for OCHS since 2022. Since then, I have fostered between 26-30 animals including bottle-fed kittens and puppies. Being a foster is an amazing and bittersweet experience. To save from being euthanized and giving them a second chance at life is so rewarding. It’s hard to let them go because my family and I do get attached, but knowing they will go to a home where they will be loved makes it all worthwhile. Rescue animals are really the best. They show so much love and appear thankful towards you. You literally saved their life. I believe they know that too.”

“It’s been a very rewarding experience being a foster for Okmulgee County Humane Society. I’ve gotten homes for a lot of dogs. Thanks for letting me be a part of your organization. Keep up the good work!”

“My husband and I have fostered around 20-30 adult dogs and puppies. It’s been the most rewarding experience possible! Without fosters, animals in high-risk municipal shelters lose their lives. Fosters are crucial to saving lives as is true for responsible pet ownership through spay and neutering. While some may be concerned of fostering and never being able to “let them go,” I can assure you that once you see your foster dog into a loving home, which makes room for you to foster another dog or cat atrisk, your heart will be so full.”

“Fostering for the Okmulgee County Humane Society has been an incredibly rewarding experience, one that has profoundly impacted my life in ways I never anticipated. It’s not just about providing a temporary home for an animal; it’s about giving them a chance to heal, grow, and ultimately find a forever family. Watching a frightened or neglected animal transform into a confident, loving companion as they receive the care, attention and love they need is both humbling and fulfilling. Each animal has its own unique story, and being part of their journey – helping them overcome their past and see the world through a more positive lens – is deeply gratifying. It’s also inspiring to see the difference fostering makes in the community, as more animals are given the opportunity to be adopted into loving homes. The connections I’ve built with both the animals and the people at the Humane Society have made it clear how essential fostering is not only to the animals’ well-being but to my own personal growth as well.”

Thank you for considering fostering with OCHS. With the support of fosters like you, we can keep working toward a future where every pet has a safe, loving home.