Fosterers needed as Dogs' Home prepares for post Christmas surge (From Wandsworth Guardian)

Fosterers needed as Battersea Dogs & Cats Home prepares for post Christmas surge

10:30am Tuesday 15th January 2013 in News

Battersea Dogs & Cats Home is appealing to animal-loving Londoners to help foster dogs and cats who were bought as Christmas presents and then discarded.

The charity is preparing for an increase in the number of dogs and cats in need of its help, which normally happens in March.

To help care for the influx of new arrivals, the charity is currently recruiting dog and cat foster carers in the Greater London area.

Fosterers take animals into their home and care for them while they recover from operations, or to give them a break from kennel or cattery life.

Last March 443 people contacted Battersea’s Lost Dogs & Cats Line after finding a stray dog, which is a 17 per cent increase compared to an average month.

While some of the dogs were collected by dog wardens, many came to Battersea, and last March 307 dogs and puppies arrived at the London centre, which is up 13 per cent on a normal month.

Volunteer Manager Carly Whyborn said: "We believe many of these strays were deliberately abandoned. Puppies and kittens are always very cute, but many people forget they will soon need training.

"Once they start scratching the sofa or chewing shoes and lose their novelty value, they are given up or discarded, leaving Battersea to pick up the pieces."

For more information about dog fostering visit www.battersea.org.uk/fostering and for cat fostering visit http://www.battersea.org.uk/cats/fostering