MILTON — Foster a pet this Christmas through Santa Rosa County Animal Services' short-term foster program.
This program gives pets a break from the shelter environment and the opportunity to spend the holidays in a loving foster home. Foster homes give the shelter great insight into the animal's behavior and reduce the number of shelter pets to care for during the holidays.
Foster parents can pick up a pet from noon to 4 p.m. Monday, Dec. 20 and Tuesday, Dec. 21, foster them through the Christmas holiday and drop them off from 9-11 a.m. Tuesday, Dec. 28.
The shelter will provide everything a foster parent needs to care for the animal, including food, toys, treats, a harness and leash.
All pets available for adoption online can be fostered. Once you have an idea of the pet you're interested in fostering, complete a new foster application. The shelter will place you with an appropriate match for your household.
The deadline to register is 5 p.m. Friday, Dec. 17. Any questions or concerns should be emailed to fostering@santarosa.fl.gov.
The shelter asks that foster parents take lots of photos and videos of their temporary pets and share feedback on the animal's behavior, likes and dislikes. For more information, call the shelter at 850-983-4680.
This article originally appeared on Santa Rosa Press Gazette: Animal Services offers short-term Christmas foster program