Humane Society of Lawton-Comanche County
Medical Foster Program
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Caring for animals in need is the heart of the Humane Society Lawton-Comanche County. We work with very dedicated veterinarians who go out of their way to help animals who desperately need our care. Once the animal is cleared by our veterinarian, the best coarse of action is to get the animal into a foster home so that they can heal. The Humane Society of Lawton-Comanche County will provide all of the training and supplies needed for foster parents to care for these special need animals until they can be available for adoption. The time the animal will be in foster care will depend on the extent of injury or illness and the recovery time for the animal. In some cases, fostering a medical need may be up to six months or more. Caring for a sick or injured animal is a very rewarding experience. It is such a pleasure to watch a special need animal blossom under foster care. If you would like to foster an animal in need, contact us today.
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Fostering An Animal In Need
Sick and injured animals come into the Humane Society from many different places. Some come from the local animals shelters, some are owner surrenders or strays who are picked up by caring citizens. Whatever their history is, our priority becomes healing them so that can begin a new life in a forever home. We could not accomplish this without dedicated foster families. The Humane Society of Lawton-Comanche County provides all the supplies, training and support you will need to help an animal in need. Our veterinarians and Humane Society volunteers do everything we can to ensure that when you take a sick or injured animal home to foster, that the chances of transferring an illness to one of your pets is minimal. If it does occur, the Humane Society of Lawton-Comanche County will assist in veterinary care for your pet as determined by our veterinarians. Some of the injuries and illness we care for include:
- Broken bones
- Neglect and starvation
- Non-infectious skin infections and mange
- Parvo
- Upper respiratory diseases (animal colds)
- Neurological disorders, such as head injuries
- Emotional trauma, fear and anxiety
What To Expect When Fostering An Animal In Need
Medical foster parents may need to spend a lot of time caring for the needs of the foster, depending on the nature of the injury or illness. But in many cases, you will just need to provide a quiet, loving home where the animal can rest and heal. Responsibilities may include:
- Providing transportation to and from the veterinarian for medical care and check-ups
- Ensuring a quiet, low stress living environment
- Administering medications, mostly oral or topical
- Medicated bathing and skin conditioning
- Special diets and feeding times/arrangements
- Changing bandages and dressings
Foster Coordinators
Foster coordinators are volunteers within the Humane Society of Lawton-Comanche County who are available to give advice and general support to medical foster parents. Medical foster coordinators have extensive experience within the Humane Society and working with foster families and with medical foster animals in particular. You will be assigned a foster coordinator when you pick up your foster. This person should be your primary go-to person for all foster questions or needs. If an emergency occurs and you can't contact your primary foster coordinator, it's ok to go to the next coordinator on the list until you reach someone.
Foster families within the Humane Society of Lawton-Comanche County also have access to a private Facebook page. This page is a great way to ask questions, gain guidance and talk with other foster families. It is also a primary way in which to contact foster coordinators as needed. Fosters will need to be accepted into the Facebook page by page admins upon verification of foster status.
Foster families within the Humane Society of Lawton-Comanche County also have access to a private Facebook page. This page is a great way to ask questions, gain guidance and talk with other foster families. It is also a primary way in which to contact foster coordinators as needed. Fosters will need to be accepted into the Facebook page by page admins upon verification of foster status.
