Foster carers for small animals needed by RSPCA

Manchester and Salford’s branch of RSPCA is looking for people to foster a surplus of smaller animals.

The animal welfare charity has pets such as hamsters, rats, mice and rabbits which have been rescued from poor care, and are looking for people in the area to temporarily look after the critters until they are re-homed.

Due to the overwhelming number of cases that are reported to the charity and the limited resources available to look after the cute creatures, outsourcing the care is the only way many pets can get the care they lacked in their previous homes.

Susie, who works for RSPCA Manchester and Salford, said: “What we tend to find with any fostering, whether it’s small animals or cats, is that we do get a good response but the people who actually get around to fostering can be quite small.”

Animal fostering is sometimes harder than people expect. Most of the animals have special requirements such as diet and medication to help them recover from the homes and situations they were rescued from.

The charity does however, provide foster carers with everything they need in order to take care of the animals, such as cages, food and all other necessary expenses, which are paid for by the RSPCA.

“We interview a lot of people but their circumstances change or it’s not for them because it’s quite a big commitment having an animal in your home.”

“Sometimes foster carers want to keep the first pets they foster. We call them ‘foster fails’. Most foster carers tend to keep their first one. Some make it to their third or fourth, but pretty much everyone who fosters adopts at some point.”

Because of the number of carers who go on only to adopt their first or second animals, the RSPCA struggle to find people new who can look after the many animals that require extra attention.

“Small animals are actually more popular foster animals because of the amount of care they need. A dog can’t really be left alone on its own whereas, for example, a mouse can be left in a cage all day while you go to work.”

Despite the animals being more popular for fostering, the RSPCA are always on the lookout for potential carers.

For more information, or to become a potential carer, contact RSPCA Manchester and Salford on 0161 882 0680 or email rspcamcr_salford@btconnect.com.