This May in Foster of the Month, we’re excited to be sharing the story of Zoie D.
Why She Fosters
Much like our previous Foster of the Month, Zoie began considering foster life upon discovering the YouTube channel of Hannah Shaw (@kittenxlady). She has been following the animal welfare educator/advocate for several years but never felt like she had the space to try fostering herself, until…
“Last summer my partner and I moved into a much roomier townhouse,” Zoie says. “My rescue pit bull, Posie, passed shortly after. My house felt empty and too quiet without Posie and I was just sad.”
In this difficult transition, Zoie was able to see a positive opportunity to pursue something she had been curious about for some time. In November 2023, she officially joined SAFe’s foster community.
“Signing up to foster seemed like the perfect way to bring some much-needed joy into my home while also helping kitties in need!” She remarks.
Zoie soon found that fostering was exactly the right decision for her. Looking after little ones aided her tremendously during her grieving process, first for Posie in October, then again when her “soul-cat” Peach passed in April. Surrounding herself with tiny lives whose Rescue stories were just beginning was both soothing and motivating.“Knowing how exciting it’s been for me adopting my own cats and dogs, it’s awesome getting to be a part of so many deserving kitty’s journeys to finding their forever homes.”
Rewards + Challenges
In her five months of fostering for SAFe, Zoie has taken in four litters of kittens. Three of these four litters had a fungal skin infection called ringworm and required intensive treatment through medicated baths. The diagnosis may sound daunting, but Zoie jumped headfirst into her new responsibilities like a pro.
“I’m happy to report that after caring for several ringworm kittens, neither of my resident cats (or myself) have caught it,” Zoie says. “I’ve developed my own ringworm PPE protocol, and it turns out giving kittens medicated baths really isn’t that difficult.”
“I have been very impressed by her attitude, her communication, and her joy at approaching any new challenge and providing exactly what the kittens need: whether it’s administering medication, bathing, and even following contagious disease protocols,” comments Michelle, SAFe Rescue’s Foster Specialist.
For Zoie, the knowledge that the cats she’s helped have found loving families is the biggest reward.
“Just getting the emails that my fosters have been adopted is the best feeling ever,” she says. “You spend a lot of time caring for your fosters and, although it is sad to drop them off at the adoption center, the ultimate goal of fostering is goodbye!”
Advice
Zoie encourages anyone thinking about fostering to remember that, “Pretty much anything you are able to provide is more than these cats would have [otherwise].”
She also offers some practical advice: “If you’re fostering in a carpeted room, find a fully enclosed pen. Kittens are little escape artists if not in a fully enclosed pen and it is so much easier to disinfect your foster room when they are contained.”
Above all, Zoie wants everyone to know that in fostering, the love goes both ways. Reflecting on her experience, Zoie gave us the following assessment: “My fosters help me just as much (if not more) than I help them.”
