Coronavirus: Blacktown pet fostering on the rise to ease isolation
An increasing number of people are turning to fostering cats and dogs to keep them company during the coronavirus crisis.
Blacktown
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As more residents across Blacktown stare down the barrel of spending months in isolation at home, pets are proving a popular choice to keep them company.
The Blacktown Animal Holding Facility has been inundated with interest from people looking to foster a pet in recent weeks as the coronavirus situation takes hold.
Acting coordinator Suzanne Hocking said the facility had turned to foster carers to care for animals while adoptions were put on hold.
“We still have stray animals coming in and because we don’t have adoptions taking place, if we didn’t have fostering taking place, we would be overflowing,” Ms Hocking said.
“By getting and using foster carers, we can have these animals being cared for in people’s homes, which frees up kennels for us for the continuation of stray animals coming into the facility.”
To cope with the increased pressure on the facility, the fostering program had been expanded to include both cats and dogs.
Since an online call went out for foster carers, they have received more than 100 applications.
Ms Hocking said much of the interest was from people who were isolated or living alone during the COVID-19 situation.
“A lot of the applications we’re getting, people are saying they can do fostering now because they are forced to work from home and can give all the support the animal is going to need,” she said.
“A lot of the carers are people who live by themselves, so in situations like this where they have to remain at home, a pet is company for them.
“If you’ve suddenly gone from leaving the home everyday to suddenly being restricted to being at home, it can be very lonely for people, so having a pet can make them feel like they are not alone.”
Due to current restrictions, the facility has moved most of its services online, with some services only available by appointment over the phone.
Blacktown Mayor Tony Bleasdale encouraged people to consider fostering an animal.
“Pets and the care and companionship of animals is very important during these stressful times,” Mayor Bleasdale said.
“It’s great to see staff at our Animal Holding Facility coming up with online options in order to maintain this vital service for the wellbeing of many of our residents, especially the elderly, while at the same time adhering to social distancing requirements.”