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Paws Across Pittsburgh

Short-term Animal Foster Emergency (SAFE) Program

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SAFE is a network of foster homes within Paws Across Pittsburgh providing temporary homes for pets of families in crisis.  Many pets are surrendered to shelters and rescues when their guardian has to be hospitalized or is temporarily displaced from a home themselves.  Our goal, as a rescue, is to place animals in happy permanent homes.  This program was created to help keep animals from coming into the rescue or going to shelters by providing temporary help to families and their pets to keep the pet in their original home.

 

ELIGIBILITY AND REQUIREMENTS

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Please read the following guidelines before you fill out the Foster Animal Application below! All foster pet owners must:

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  • Be temporarily unable to care for their pet due to military training, temporary housing, or medical issue.

  • Have a specific end date when the owner will be able to resume care of the foster animal, a maximum number of days is determined according to the situation and set case by case.

  • Exhibit and demonstrate the ability and desire to resume complete care for your pet upon completion of the foster term.

  • Exhibit ability and desire to cover monthly costs of Foster Animal’s food/medical/grooming bills while with a foster family.

  • Have checked with all friends, family, co-workers, and neighbors before applying to SAFE, and have the only remaining options be surrendering an animal to a shelter or an unacceptable home.

  • Provide a clear digital picture of the Animal for application.

  • Have the animal on appropriate flea/tick medicine.

  • Have the foster animal spayed/neutered and up-to-date on all vaccinations by the beginning of the foster term and be able to provide vaccination and veterinary records that prove this. If this is not possible, the owner must be willing to allow Paws Across Pittsburgh to have these procedures done, possibly at the owner's expense.

 

Note:

  • SAFE cannot accept any foster animals with a history of destruction or aggression towards humans in the program.

  • SAFE cannot guarantee placement for all temporary foster requests within our program, despite our best efforts.  Due to Paws Across Pittsburgh SAFE's nature as a volunteer organization, placement depends solely on the availability, skills, and willingness of our approved foster homes to accept a foster pet.

 

If you fit these requirements and need a temporary foster home for your pet, please use the Foster Request form below and SAFE will contact you. This is just a request and we are not able to guarantee placement in our program.  We reserve the right to request proof of any of the above requirements.  You may also email us at info@PawsAcrossPittsburgh.com or call us at 412-495-2799.

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