Fostering animals is one of the most impactful ways to help pets in need. By opening your home to a foster animal, you provide them with a safe, loving environment while they await their forever family. Foster homes give pets the individual attention, socialization, and care that can be hard to provide in a busy shelter setting.

At the Humane Society of Carroll County (HSCC), over 100 active foster families provide care each month. That means more animals can leave the shelter environment, recover from medical needs, and grow confident and healthy before being adopted. Every foster home expands the shelter’s capacity to save lives, allowing HSCC to help more animals than it could with shelter resources alone.

Fostering isn’t just life-changing for the animals—it’s rewarding for the foster family too. You get to witness the transformation of an animal gaining confidence, recovering from illness, or learning to trust humans. Fostering also allows you to explore different types of animals, from playful kittens to shy adult pets, and make a direct impact on their lives.

For the broader community, foster programs are critical for lifesaving. Each foster home frees up space at the shelter, giving more animals access to medical care, enrichment, and attention. Fostering is a hands-on way to make a measurable difference—one animal at a time.

Whether you’re looking for a short-term commitment or a long-term role, fostering with HSCC is a rewarding experience that directly helps save lives.