Animal Fostering Forum - August 18, 2018
The "Animal Fostering Forum," held August 18th at the UUCLC library, was attended by approximately 40 people. The audience included animal welfare advocates representing various community organizations/agencies and members of the public. The forum was hosted by the Animal Advocates Committee, a division of the Social Justice Committee of the Unitarian Universalist Church of Las Cruces. Speakers addressed prep fostering, emergency fostering, special needs fostering, long-term and short-term fostering, and other levels/degrees of fostering as significant life-saving roles. Q&A time was provided following the first and second segments of the program and included lively discussion among attendees as well as networking opportunities. The most exciting part of the forum were the number of main players and advocates gathered in one room, with inspired members of the public conversing on a topic fundamental to reaching and sustaining our No Kill Community Goal!!
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Clint Thacker, director of the Animal Services Center of Mesilla Valley (our community’s municipal open-admission shelter) addressed the audience on the tremendous need for fosters & resourcs to save lives of the 700-800 animals who occupy the facility every month. Mr. Thacker also mentioned the ongoing rescue and transport efforts that have helped save hundreds of lives.
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Michel Meunier, director of ACTion Programs for Animals, informed the audience of APA’s mission rescuing homeless animals (of which 95% come from the shelter) and the great need for fosters. She also talked about the P.A.W.S program “Prisoners & Animals Working Toward Success” which has helped place shelter dogs in homes following their on-site training and residence at the correctional facility.
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Michelle Corella, board of directors with Big Kitty Fix & Cats Meow Adoption Center and former director of FCaMP (Feral Cat Management Program) on NMSU campus, talked about the important role of fosters and TNR programs to save lives. She expressed the great need for feline fosters for their role in socializing animals and readying them for adoption, and for opening space enabling Cats Meow and rescues to help others.
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Joy Miller, community foster & advocate, addressed various types of fostering and explained the role can be matched to the individual’s parameters. She talked about fostering for one of the transport organizations where identified animals are in the process of going to rescues, including breed-specific rescue groups. She named some of the organizations she has fostered for, providing examples of different needs including behavior training and socialization to ready dogs for adoption.
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Tricia Quillen, volunteer coordinator for Save Haven Animal Sanctuary (a limited-admission shelter) & KTAL “Animal Affairs” radio host, talked about prep fostering as an important role to ready animals for adoption. Tricia gave examples of volunteer roles for people not in a position to foster. A few mentioned were supporting organizations by attending their fundraisers/events, providing services (transporting animals to adoption events, grooming, socialization, dog walking, etc.), or offering administrative or other skills such as computer assistance posting animals on social media, among many other volunteer roles and choices.
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Clint Thacker, Michelle Munier, and Frank Bryce
Tricia Quillen, Michelle Corella, and Joy Miller