This months Long Beach Living Magazine’s “Pet Corner” focuses on the importance of fostering, TNR’ing, spaying and neutering pets. Be sure to pick up a copy!

You can read the article here, or enjoy the text below.

When kittens, other animals, and elderly pets are brought into shelters, they are exposed to diseases that their small bodies are not equipped to fight off. Kittens that are brought to shelters usually do not make it out. Another group that usually never makes it out are the elderly pets. Here’s how you can help.

When you reach out to local rescue groups and sign up to foster, you are literally saving lives. Since it is kitten season right now, (who are we kidding, there really has not been a break in “kitten sea-son” for several years now) by signing up with a res- cue you are taking kittens from that rescue so that they can take in more kittens that need their help.

When you foster, you do not need tons of space especially if you are fostering the tiny kittens. All you need is space separate from your other pets say a laundry room or bathroom. If you have the real small ones, you can use a pet crate or even Tupperware because they are so tiny, they can just go with you. You also will need some time to give them and room in your heart to share with them. What you will get in return is an amazing gift knowing that you helped save these innocent lives and gave them the extra time needed to get them to the adoptable stage.

Between two to seven weeks is the crucial socialization period for kittens. This is where fostering can help so many kittens get adopted by getting them used to humans and human contact. When you sign up to foster elderly pets, you are giving them a place to spend their elderly years and hopefully find a forever home, where their remaining years can be spent in a loving, warm home. 

Kumo’s Proud Tails and Whiskers is a rescue group that has volunteers who live in the Long Beach area, that are helping other rescue groups with the crucial TNR (Trap Neuter Return) program. These volunteers know how crucial it is to help get the cat population under control. They do so by sterilizing community cats so the population does not increase, instead it stabilizes and they can survive where they are. Every time Kumo’s Proud Tails and Whiskers have been called about a cat in trouble or cats needing to be trapped and fixed, they have come to the rescue. If you are interested in helping this amazing rescue with donations, supplies, and/or fostering, here is the link to their rescue: http://www.kumosrescue.com.

Another way to help is to make sure your own pets are spayed and neutered. There is NO reason to have an unneutered or unfixed pet. The population of unwanted pets is out of control and by ensuring your pets are fixed, this will help our rescue groups tremendously!