Christmas is creeping closer, and a Northern Virginia animal shelter is asking for help this holiday season.
The Animal Welfare League of Arlington is renovating part of its facility, and they need to find foster homes for several animals over the next few weeks.
“We’re hoping that as many people as possible can help us get animals home for the holidays,” said Cassandra Ransome, the AWLA foster and adoptions team lead.
She says they always need good fosters, but now they really need to find 16 pups a good place to post up going into the new year.
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Since AWLA will be renovating the dog intake area over the next few weeks, that means heavy construction and not a lot of peace and quiet.
“There are going to be days that it is very loud, and that’s a lot of stress for the animals,” Ransome said. “It’s stress for anybody, you know? If you were to be asleep in your home and all of the sudden you hear a jackhammer, you’re going to be stressed out.”
Ransome says the holidays are also tricky due to light staffing, so finding fosters will help free up resources to take in animals who are stray or surrendered.
And it’s not just dogs and cats who need fostering — there are also plenty of smaller companion animals like rabbits, guinea pigs and hamsters.
Ransome says fosters also help the AWLA learn more about the animals, like if they’re good with children or other pets, which makes it easier to find them the right forever home.
“They just need some patience, some time and they become some of the best friends you could possibly have,” she said.
AWLA wants all of their animals forever homes, too. Holiday foster pick up is from now until Dec. 23 and they’re asking to keep them until Jan. 12.
