Volunteer

Volunteer

Kid with puppy.

Volunteers are the backbone of Animal Compassion Network. Without the hard work of these amazing people, ACN would not be what it is today. Volunteers are needed for adoption events, fundraising events and special events exness. The success of these activities is directly attributed to the help of everyone involved, no matter if that person is working at the event, or is behind the scenes. We need YOU! No matter if you only have a little time to spare each week, or if you have a lot of time to offer. Any amount of time that you can give is valuable! Volunteer activities are listed above. If you have a special talent or service that you would like to offer, please contact our Volunteer Coordinator!

Foster homes are always in short supply exness trading.

Picnic at Lake Julian

Vaccination clinics help provide a low-cost public health service

2001 ACN Picnic at Lake Julian - A fun filled day for Volunteer Appreciation

Fostering

Animal Compassion Network (ACN) is seeking foster homes for the dogs and cats in our network exness trade. The rewards of this way of helping the animals are tremendous. Fostering an animal is the most active way to save an animal's life. Often times, because there is no place for them to go, a highly adoptable dog or cat is euthanized. As space becomes available, ACN takes in stray and abandoned dogs and cats into our adoption program. If no space is available, we have to rely on the person who found the animal to house and care for the pet until a suitable permanent home can be found. However, sometimes that is not an option for the person. Also, on occasion, ACN can also pull an animal from a shelter. However, these instances are rare because of the lack of foster homes. That's why we need your help.

ACN provides pet food, cat litter, necessary medical treatment, doghouses/kennels, cages, etc. for our foster animals. We ask our foster homes to provide the transportation to and from adoption days and vet appointments and that the animals are kept clean and healthy. The most important part of fostering an animal is providing the love and attention the animal needs until it becomes a loved and valued pet in a permanent home.
If you are considering becoming a foster home, ask yourself the following questions:

Does your lease or housing situation legally allow you to keep pets? If you rent, we must obtain permission from your landlord prior to you becoming a foster home.

Are you agreeable to a home visit by one of ACN's foster home coordinators? For the safety of our foster animals, the coordinators will check for proper containment (fencing, etc) and sanitation practices.

Does everyone in your household (2 legs or 4 legs) agree that fostering is something your family wants to do? All people in your household must be agreeable. If you have your own pets, you need to make sure that they are good with other dogs/cats. We will try to match the likes or dislikes of your animals and the foster animals.

Does your schedule allow you to spend time with your foster animal? Many people's lives are busy; consider if you have the time to devote to a new dog/cat. We do our best to match the foster home's abilities with the foster animals needs.

Do you have the patience and flexibility to work with an animal who (for whatever reason) may exhibit undesirable behavior? Depending on the situation the animal came from, it may be shy or fearful and in need of a lot of human contact. However, ACN does not take in aggressive animals.

Are you able to separate the foster animal from your own? Most of the animals we receive in our network are strays and we are not aware of their prior health history of vaccinations. We immediately administer the necessary vaccinations (and tests for cats) but recommend they be separated from other animals for up to 10 days. Foster cats must be kept completely inside. Foster dogs must have a fenced in yard or minimally, a kennel with special exercise time set aside. Dogs must not be kept totally outside, chained out or left out unsupervised.

Are you aware that there may be clean up and/or damage to your property as a result of your foster animal? Anytime, you bring a new animal into your home, you should supervise all activities to make sure that the animal will not claw or chew your furniture or other belongings. An un-housetrained animal will have accidents until it can be trained properly.

Are you able to monitor the health of your foster animal? You need to monitor your foster animal's health as closely as you would your own pets. If ACN places an animal with you, we pay all veterinary expenses. Any signs of disease or trauma must be dealt with immediately by one of our qualified veterinarians.

Are your own pets updated on vaccinations, flea prevention, tests and health checks? Your animals must be vaccinated for their own protection. If you are fostering cats, your own cats must have a current negative testing of FIV/Feline Leukemia. ACN will vaccinate the foster animals and test foster cats for FIV and Feline Leukemia before placement in a foster home. ACN will also provide flea prevention for the foster animals.

Can you reach us quickly in case of an emergency? You will be provided phone numbers for 24-hour access to our foster home coordinators, who can authorize veterinary appointments and charges. ACN will only pay for vet care that has been properly authorized prior to treatment. Emergency situations will be handled on a case-by-case basis.

Are you emotionally prepared to let the animal go when ACN finds an adoptive home for it? Emotional attachments always come with caring for an animal in your home. We ask that you trust our judgment in the event a good adoptive home is found for the animal.

Do you feel comfortable explaining to friends and family that your foster animals are not yours to adopt out and they are required to go through the same stringent screening process as all potential adopters? ACN screens all applicants by requiring a questionnaire be completed and two interviews with our trained screeners before approval. ACN has the right to deny any applicant if the screeners do not feel the home and the animal are a good fit. In addition, references may be checked and a home visit required before an applicant is considered for approval.

If all the above are satisfactory and agreeable to you, then you are exactly what we are looking for. The rewards are numerous. If just knowing that you were an active participant in saving a life isn't enough, just look into the eyes of the animal you are helping, or get a kiss on the nose from your foster, and realize what a difference you have made in the life of another living creature. If you are interested in becoming a foster home, please contact us.