PORTSMOUTH, Ohio — The Scioto County Dog Pound is restarting its foster program, hoping to move dogs into temporary homes as the shelter heads into the holidays full to capacity, the Scioto Valley Guardian reported.
The shelter said in a Facebook post that it needs fosters "now more than ever," with cold weather and the holiday season approaching, according to the Scioto Valley Guardian. Opening kennel space through fostering allows the shelter to take in more animals in need, the shelter said in the post reported by the Guardian.
The process starts in person. Residents interested in fostering must first come to the shelter and fill out an application, then choose a dog, the Guardian reported. A staff member will then go with the new foster home and the dog to help the animal settle in and meet any other pets already in the household, according to the shelter’s post.
Foster placements will initially run 72 hours, and any extension beyond that must be approved in advance by a member of the shelter staff, the Scioto Valley Guardian reported. To qualify, prospective fosters must provide veterinarian references and a photo ID, and must have a fenced-in yard, and dogs must be kept in a crate overnight or whenever no one is home, according to the shelter.
The shelter operates as the Scioto County Dog Warden’s office at 95 Arrowhead North Road in Portsmouth and is led by Director and Chief Warden Cody Brickey, according to shelter records cited by the Scioto Valley Guardian. The Guardian reported the information in its story came from the Scioto County Dog Pound.
For Scioto County families who have thought about fostering, the relaunch is a low-commitment way in — a three-day first placement, with shelter staff helping with the introduction at home. Every dog placed in a foster home also frees a kennel for another dog coming in from the cold.
What happens next is a trip to the shelter: the pound asked for patience as it works out the details of the relaunched program, and residents interested in fostering a dog are asked to call the shelter during business hours to be added to the list, the Scioto Valley Guardian reported.
Photo: Bobjgalindo, CC BY