Foster Parents Needed For Abandoned Pets

By Jasmine Huda

KSDK -- Pet owners struggling with their household budgets are doing what they once considered unthinkable: they're abandoning their pets.

One animal welfare organization is seeking help for pets left out in the cold.

Stray Rescue of St. Louis is calling for people to serve as foster parents.

"Every time someone fosters a dog, I get to save another life," Stray Rescue of St. Louis founder Randy Grim said.

Stray Rescue workers and volunteers go into neighborhoods to help stray dogs and other animals.

Grim calls the prevalence of strays an epidemic. He cites studies that report more than 40,000 stray animals roam the streets in the St. Louis area. Grim said that number is expected to increase as more Americans abandon their pets.

Stray Rescue, he said, is already feeling the impact.

"Our shelter is so full that I even have dogs in the bathroom. I don't even have an office anymore. There are three dogs in my office," he said.

Grim said people who serve as foster parents provide animals with a second chance.

Foster parents can help rehabilitate animals who suffered from abuse and poor living conditions, he said. Grim said the rehabilitation process can be faster and more effective when dogs are introduced into a personal setting. But that process involves patience and cooperation.

"You're going to notice if the one that's in the cage is growling and barking, and charging. Then you know that's one that needs work." Kendra White with Chippewa Animal Hospital, said.

Grim said the work is worth it, and desperately needed.

Close to 200 foster parents work with Stray Rescue. He said the organization could use the help of at least 100 more foster parents.

For more information about becoming a foster parent to a pet, visit the website for Stray Rescue of St. Louis at http://www.strayrescue.org.