Snowflake Animal
Rescue
Foster Home
Agreement
I
___________________________ agree to provide foster accommodations and care for
animals under the protection of Snowflake Animal Rescue, adhering to the
following terms and conditions. I
affirm that all members of my household concur with these terms and
conditions.
A.
Capacity - the number of
animals housed will be determined by agreement between the foster home provider
and the foster home coordinator.
Considerations for capacity are physical space, financial considerations
and preferences of both the foster home provider and Snowflake
Rescue.
B.
The physical space must
provide floor space, vertical space (for cats), ventilation, light and
temperature adequate for a healthy, humane and content living
experience.
C.
Dogs that are maintained
outdoors must be fenced or penned.
A dry sheltered enclosure must be provided, with clean warm
bedding.
D.
The physical space must be
kept clean. Litter boxes must be
kept clean. Dog areas must be scooped regularly. Floors must be swept and washed
regularly. Litter boxes, bowls and
bedding must be washed and sanitized regularly and replaced as
needed.
E.
Isolation - All foster homes
must have the ability to isolate Snowflake animals from their personal
pets. Due to risk of disease and
injury, it is recommended that foster cats be housed separately from personal
pets. Snowflake animals are not to
be housed with personal pets or other rescue animals that have not received both
screening tests for disease and vaccination. Snowflake animals will be kept in isolation from the general population until
such tests have been administered and the animals are deemed free of
communicable disease. Vaccinations
should be initiated as soon as possible.
Animals testing positive for a communicable disease or showing signs of a
communicable disease must be maintained in strict isolation until all risks of
disease are passed. They may be
housed with animals with the same disease.
The foster home must abide by the recommendations and advice of the
foster home coordinator or medical advisor regarding isolation of
animals.
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F.
Intake - All new Snowflake
animals must enter the foster home through the normal waiting list intake
procedure. If a foster home decides
independently to intake an animal on an emergency or other basis, the care and
expenses of that animal are the responsibility of the foster home provider. Non- Snowflake animals must meet the
previously stated screening, vaccination and isolation procedures prior to any
contact with Snowflake animals. Contact includes sharing of airspace. These animals will not be considered
Snowflake animals until they have followed the normal waiting list procedure for
routine or emergency intake.
G.
Security - The foster space
must provide security against the loss of foster animals or the intrusion of any
outside animals into the foster space.
Open windows must be securely screened. At no time shall foster cats be
permitted outdoors. Dogs must be
securely fenced or walked on a leash.
Dogs will not be chained or tethered
unattended.
A.
All animals must receive
adequate food to provide optimal growth or maintenance of their ideal
weight. Food shall be the brand
used by Snowflake Rescue or that agreed to by the medical advisor. Cats shall have dry food available at
all times, unless restricted by a veterinarian. Wet food may be added as a
supplement. Adult dogs must be fed
twice daily or free fed. Puppies or
ill dogs may require special feeding schedules. Dietary supplements should be discussed
with the medical advisor.
B.
Fresh water in clean bowls
shall be available to all animals at all times.
C.
An adequate number of litter
boxes must be provided for cats. 1
litter box for each 3 adults or 4-5 kittens is a guideline. Litter boxes must be scooped daily and
litter maintained at an adequate level.
Litter boxes must be sanitized and changed with fresh litter on a regular
basis.
A.
Spays and Neuters – All
unaltered Snowflake animals will be spayed/neutered before adoption unless
otherwise instructed by the medical advisor. All Snowflake animals will receive
spays/neuters either upon entrance to Snowflake Rescue or at a time appropriate
for their health and age. The
appropriate age for kitten and puppy spay/neuter will be discussed with the
medical advisor. Cats, kittens,
dogs or puppies that are pregnant or in suboptimal health will be
spayed/neutered at a time recommended by a veterinarian and/or medical
advisor. The foster home provider
will monitor the incision site and general recovery post surgery and report any
abnormalities to the medical advisor or
veterinarian.
B.
Vaccinations - It is the
responsibility of the foster home provider to record and track the sequence and
schedule of vaccines. It is not
necessarily the responsibility of the foster home provider to administer these
vaccines, but they must ensure that they are scheduled and administered
according to the Snowflake Rescue schedule. Sick or debilitated animals should
not be vaccinated. The medical
advisor should be consulted about their vaccine schedule. Rabies vaccines will be given as
part of the admission vet care if age appropriate. Kittens and puppies should receive
rabies vaccines at 3 months of age.
The foster home provider must assure that rabies vaccines are given when
the animal reaches the appropriate age.
Pregnant cats and dogs will not receive rabies vaccines until after
delivery.
C.
Medical Records - It is the
responsibility of the foster home provider to maintain both a master and adopter
medical record for each animal.
This record shall include all available medical history, vaccines
(including rabies tag and certificate if applicable), dewormings, test results,
spay/neuter dates, flea products, heartworm prevention and other major
veterinary care or treatments. The
records shall be legible with full dates including the year. The adopter medical record folder will
be brought with the animal to adoptathons.
It will be kept with the animal if transferred to another foster
home. The master record will be
turned in to the foster home coordinator when the page is
complete.
D.
Veterinary Care
1.
Medical surveillance – It is
the responsibility of the foster home provider to evaluate each animal for the
presence of fleas, parasites, diarrhea, vomiting, sneezing, watery eyes, not
eating, lethargy and neurological or other abnormal symptoms. All of these are potentially serious if
not controlled with appropriate medications. Flea products must be appropriate for
the age and condition of the animal. At the first signs of any of these
symptoms, the medical advisor must be contacted. Notify the medical advisor of conditions
not responding to medical interventions. ANY ANIMAL EXPERIENCING VOMITING AND
DIARRHEA MAY BE INFECTED WITH A LIFE THREATENING COMMUNICABLE DISEASE. ISOLATE THESE ANIMALS AND CONTACT THE
MEDICAL ADVISOR IMMEDIATELY.
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2.
Vet visits - Vet care
including spays and neuters will be provided by veterinarians designated by the
medical advisor. Spays, neuters and
rabies vaccination are routine care and will be scheduled by the foster home
provider (Cats) or foster home coordinator (Dogs) without consultation with the
medical advisor. The medical
advisor must be notified of all non-routine vet visits. In emergency situations, the medical
advisor should be consulted. If the
welfare of the animal is in immediate danger and the medical advisor cannot be
contacted, the foster home provider must seek emergency care. Each foster
home provider should discuss emergency facility options and the process for
payment and reimbursement of emergency visits with the medical advisor. This plan should be in place for each
foster home prior to the occurrence of any emergency situations. Major medical decisions must be
discussed with the medical advisor or other board member, should the
medical advisor not be available.
All names and phone numbers will be provided. The foster home shall not
seek unauthorized non-emergency medical care for Snowflake animals housed in
their facility.
3.
Sick, convalescing,
contagious or potentially contagious animals – The foster home provider agrees
to house sick, convalescing or potentially contagious animals in a facility as
required by medical needs. If the
foster home cannot provide such facilities, after discussion with the medical
advisor, the animal will be transferred to a location where appropriate housing
and care can be provided. Contagious or potentially contagious animals must be
housed separately from other foster animals or personal pets. Contagious or potentially contagious
animals are not to be removed from isolation until the medical advisor and
foster home provider agree that all danger of contagion has
passed.
Due to space availability, medical conditions, temperament or other unforeseen circumstances, it may be necessary for animals to be transferred between foster homes. It is the responsibility of both foster home providers to assess the medical records of such animals to be sure vaccination schedules and treatments are continued without interruption. If animals are contagious or potentially contagious, transfers must be discussed with the medical advisor. The foster home coordinator must approve all transfers between foster homes. The census coordinator must be notified of all cat transfers so that the current location of each animal can be recorded. All dog foster homes will work with the dog foster home coordinator.
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It is the responsibility of the foster home provider to ensure that foster animals are scheduled for adoptathons following the direction of the adoptathon coordinator and adoptathon team guidelines. In order for an animal to attend an adoptathon it must be in good health, be spayed or neutered and have at least the initial vaccination and deworming series. Transportation arrangements are the responsibility of the foster home provider. Cats must be safely transported in appropriate carriers. No cat is to be transported in an open vehicle or truck bed at any time. Dogs may be transported in open vehicles if the animal is in an appropriate carrier with secure tie downs or fasteners. At the adoptathons every dog must have a handler or be safely confined in a pen or cage.
Adoptions directly from the
foster home must be conducted under Snowflake Rescue guidelines. Snowflake contract, checklist and
screening form or online application must be used. If the foster home caretaker is not an
adoptathon team member, then a team member must be present to perform
appropriate screening and paperwork
Snowflake rescue will provide reimbursement or supplies for food and litter. Vaccinations, syringes, flea products, deworming medications, dog heartworm preventative and other routine medications may be obtained from the medical advisor, unless previously arranged. Food and water bowls, carriers, litter boxes, bedding, doghouses and leashes may be obtained from Snowflake stock. All other expenditures must be discussed and approved by a board member or the Treasurer prior to purchase for reimbursement. All supplies and equipment supplied or financed by Snowflake Rescue are the property of Snowflake Rescue and shall be labeled as such. When no longer required by the Snowflake animals in the foster home, all property of Snowflake Rescue will be returned.
It is the responsibility of
the foster home provider and all household members to interact with foster
animals so as to ensure their own safety.
All animals have the potential to inflict injury, especially if
mishandled or poor judgement is employed.
The foster home recognizes this potential and releases Snowflake Rescue
from liability for any injuries.
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The foster home provider and
Snowflake Rescue agree to all of the above terms and conditions. This agreement
documents a free association between the foster home provider and the Board of
Directors of Snowflake Animal Rescue. Either party has the right to terminate
the association, resulting in the closure of the foster home. Upon closure of the foster home,
immediate arrangements must be made between the Board and the foster home
provider for the transfer of all Snowflake animals and
property.
Foster Home provider
Date
Board of Directors
representative
Date
Page
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