It’s already looking to be a busy kitten season in Monroe County. Last year AWSOM Animal Shelter was inundated with calls and there weren’t enough fosters to go around. This year, with your support, they’re hoping to help them all.
Anita Martin is taking care of six kittens in her Bartonsville home. She’s been fostering with AWSOM Animal Shelter for the past 12 years and says it couldn’t be easier.
Martin explains, "The shelter trains you from A to Z. They provide all the supplies that you could possibly need, the medications, moral support 24/7 if needed."
The nonprofit already has four litters in foster care but they’re expecting hundreds of kittens this season that will be too young to adopt.
AWSOM Animal Shelter General Manager Jackie Fritz says, "Last year, we had a lot of calls and we didn’t have a whole lot of fosters so we were not able to help a whole lot of kittens because of that so we’re trying to expand our foster base so there’s more kittens and mamas that we can help this year."
Martin has been playing with the 10 week old felines for two weeks and tells us they’re going tobe tough to give back on Wednesday.
Martin says, "But then you get the phone call for the next crew and then it makes your heart better or you get a random text from somebody at the shelter, so and so been adopted, oh what a wonderful family and the it just makes it all worthwhile."
You can see a lot of the cat cages are empty right now but that’s exactly what the shelter wants.
Fritz says, "That means that if somebody comes or calls, we’ll be able to help them immediately."
Fostering also benefits the kittens.
Fritz says, "Where there’s no kittens in the shelter that may be exposed to any kind of diseases until they’re ready to come back and be adopted. It gives them time to have their vaccines work. It gives them time to be with their mom in a peaceful environment so that they can grow to be big and strong."
For Martin, It’s her passion and we’re told saving animals lives has brought so much more to her life.
Martin says, "I absolutely love this. Best people I have ever met is in animal rescue."
If you’re able to open up your home and your heart for a few weeks— just stop at AWSOM in Stroud Township and fill out an application.