Foster & Lifetime Care

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Foster and Lifetime Care Brochure Download a printable brochure. This is a PDF document. (212 K)

Foster Care is available at 50% of normal rates to assist individuals and groups trying to rescue and rehome pets, but requirements are the same as for other boarding animals. If Cats remain in Foster Care for a year, they’ll revert to Lifetime Care Rates...

Lifetime Care is available at 25% of normal rates for "endowed" cats. This is a service for people interested in providing for their cats in their estate planning.

Foster Care Policy

Although it is my strong desire to assist as I can in sheltering the victims of animal over-population, as a Boarding Cattery, I cannot afford to increase my "permanent population," which often happens to those who foster and fall in love. Therefore, I will be glad to aid as I can with fostering those in need until permanent homes can be found with the following constraints:

  1. Fostering will be done on a "space available basis."
  2. Animals will be vet-checked prior to admittance and meet all health policies required of boarders (immunizations, clean, parasite-free).
  3. The person or agency placing the animals in foster care will take placement and financial responsibility for the animals. Pet Tenders will also place the animals on it’s website at www.pettenders.petfinder.com as one means to facilitate adoption.  This listing serves primarily as a tool for the use of the placing person/agency to use to continue to seek adoptive placement.  The Cattery is in a rural area and does not have much traffic!
  4. Pet Tender’s Boarding Cattery will provide housing, food, and the same level of care extended to all boarders. Additionally, I will be available by appointment to show the animals to potential adopters and carry through on adoptions according to the placing person/agency’s wishes/procedures. I will ONLY participate in placing animals who are guaranteed to be spayed/ neutered as a part of the boarding/ adoption process, and I will NOT foster for anyone intending to kill unadopted pets.
  5. The fees for providing foster care will be 50% of the normal Pet Tender’s Boarding Cattery fees.

I know this will be cost prohibitive to most agencies and kind folks who are dealing daily with the massive number of overpopulation victims. But as a small facility, if I can be of assistance to the emergencies and short term needs for healthy homeless animals, I would be glad to – with the limitations identified above.

Lifetime Care is available for cats whose guardians can no longer care for them and have made advanced arrangements with Pet Tender’s. Lifetime Care will be provided at 25% of the regular boarding rate, plus any costs for special care (feed, grooming, veterinary, etc.) generally incurred by the guardian over and above boarding. Pet Tender’s can furnish a budgeting worksheet to determine the amount of funds to set aside. The worksheet will be adjusted for multi—cat families, anticipated special needs, etc.

As there are a variety of devices (insurance policies, special financial instruments, trusts, etc.) that people may use to plan for the lifetime care of pets, plans will be developed individually with interested individuals and their families and/or legal and financial planning professionals.

No funds are required "up front", but Pet Tender’s asks that people desiring lifetime care for their pets provide a letter of intent detailing the specifics of the request:

  • the cats* involved
  • who should live with whom in multi-cat situations
  • the philosophy of medical care to be provided in the event of life threatening conditions
  • the specifics of the funding mechanism,
  • the contact information for any designated trustees, and
  • instructions regarding the balance of the funds after lifetime care has been provided

*Individual Pet Information Forms must be on file at Pet Tender’s and updated annually. Cat’s for whom Lifetime Care arrangements have been made will be eligible to board at Pet Tender’s at the 50% rate prior to moving in permanently in order that guardians may judge the suitability of the facilities for their cats, and cats may "test" the accommodations!

Funds directed for lifetime care may be channeled through the Pet Tenders Foundation to add a layer of perpetuity and long-term fiscal oversight.

Pet Tenders Foundation

Mission: To provide for the Lifetime Care of animals whose guardians are no longer able to do so;
To assist responsible individuals and groups by providing Foster Care and Adoptive Support for rehoming animals in transition; and
To promote Humane and Environmental Education.
To better insure the Lifetime Care Program’s perpetuity, a public, non-profit organization has been created to manage the resources left for the lifetime care of pets. With a Board of Directors having the fiduciary responsibility for insuring the quality care, should the original Pet Tender be unable to continue providing quality care, the Board will have the responsibility to see that it continues through Pet Tender’s or other means.

Therefore, the "Pet Tenders Foundation" is the entity to name as beneficiary of any resources designated for lifetime pet care, or for funds donated to assist with support for strays and rescues accepted for foster–care and adoptive placement. The acceptance of strays and rescues or under funded pets relinquished by their guardians for lifetime care is dependent upon the resources available and will be at the discretion of the Foundation’s Board.

Charitable Status (501-C-3) has been granted to the Foundation, and all charitable contributions will be used for activities identified in the mission statement. Please note: any funds designated for the care of one’s own pets are considered "fee for services" and will not be tax deductible.

Rocky and Kay Kester–Oliver have wills which will bequeath the property (including kennel, boarding business, and house) to the Pet Tender’s Foundation for continuing use for quality animal care as long as feasible.

Pet Tenders | St Clair, MO | 636-629-3413