The Seniors Offering Shelter (SOS) program enlists the help of seniors who, when they open their homes to shelter pets, get to experience the transformation of a homeless animal into a happy and healthy pet. And throughout that journey, senior fosters enjoy the companionship of a loving pet without the long-term responsibility of pet ownership.
Regular interaction with pets has been proven to benefit the health of seniors, through better fitness, lower stress, personal enrichment, fewer feelings of loneliness, reduced risk of heart disease, and an overall healthier lifestyle. These benefits are documented by the Center for Disease Control and Prevention, the American Heart Association, and the National Institutes of Health.
And you can enjoy these benefits without committing to pet ownership, which many seniors hesitate to take on because of the costs of food, veterinary care, and additional supplies, as well as the lifetime commitment to the animal.
As an SOS foster parent, you provide a temporary, safe, and nurturing home for a dog or cat until the staff at Loving All Animals can find them a forever home. Fosters like you expand the walls of our valley’s shelters, and you are a vital link to creating a “No Kill Coachella Valley,” which aims to reduce the number of pets euthanized in shelters. Your love and nurturing helps socialize these shelter pets to prepare them for successful forever homes.
The SOS program takes great care to match the pets in need with the fosters who want to help them. The animal’s size, temperament, overall health, and behavior is carefully assessed before you take him home, to ensure the arrangement will be a happy and safe environment for both of you. The Loving All Animals staff will help you find the pet that’s just right for you.
Then, the SOS program will reimburse you for all costs associated with the care and well-being of your perfect foster pet, including food, veterinary care, cat litter and other supplies, mileage, and certain related activities.
The number of animals that Loving All Animals can rescue from public shelters is directly related to the number of foster parents we have. Please join our life-saving team of wonderful foster parents by calling (760) 834-7000 or visiting lovingallanimals.org.
