The animal shelter in Council Bluffs is trying to line up “foster parents” for pets whose owners may be evacuated due to flooding. Mary Jones, president of SOLAS, short for Support Our Local Animal Shelter, is just looking for temporary homes for everything from horses to hamsters.
“It’s to find people who’d be willing to take someone’s animals in, even if it’s two or three dogs or two or three cats so they can stay together,” Jones says. “They bond with their siblings, so to speak.” Jones says it’s important owners can see their pets but it’s also important for pets to see their owners. She’s looking for people who can foster animals and who will also allow the owner to visit their critters.
“Be they cats, be they dogs, be they ferrets, whatever they are,” Jones says. “Hopefully on a short-term, temporary basis to allow these people to keep their pets and to be able to go and visit their pets.” Studies have found that pet owners tend to live longer than people who don’t have pets and Jones says the animals love to be loved.
“A lot of people may not believe this but animals have feelings, they truly do,” Jones says. “They miss us when we’re not here and that connection needs to stay. They need to have that bond and stay together.”
If a shelter is established due to evacuations, Jones says people will be allowed to take along two pets but if they have more animals than that, they’ll need to be fostered. She is looking for people who can take animals in a group so they will not have to be separated. Contact the shelter at: (712) 328-4656.