Oct 2020 Foster Spotlight: Sabrina × Ranelle!

Each month we’ll be spotlighting some of our incredible fosters and the work they do. Join us in celebrating these magnificent humans!

October 2020

Cat Foster Spotlight: Ranelle Woolrich

Ranelle Woolrich has been an integral part of our foster program. She has fostered several singles and several litters of kittens! She is always ready and willing to take on any new challenges!

1. How long have you been fostering with Friends For Life?
   I’ve been fostering with FFL for a little over three years!
   
2. What made you become a foster parent?
   After my own cat passed away, I wasn’t sure I was ready to adopt again, when a friend told me about FFL. I was thrilled to hear about a no-kill shelter here in Houston and immediately began to look into volunteering. As I understood the great need for fostering, I decided that would be a way I could help out. Without a cat of my own, I was able to foster FeLV cats at first. Now that I have my own foster fail, I love fostering kittens.
   
3. What’s your favorite thing about fostering?
   Well, truly my favorite thing about fostering is knowing that each kitten/cat that is with me is getting a second chance at a happy life and that I just am a tiny part of their story until they find their forever home. I really love watching the kittens grow and then seeing their personalities emerge!
   
4. What has been your toughest obstacle while fostering?
   Ha! That would be my foster fail, Houdini (fka Belmont). When he came home with me as a four month old kitten, there was a potential he had FeLV. That ended up being a false positive test and he is as healthy as can be, but there were other challenges. Within the first two days, it was clear his feral background made him a true fraidy cat. He wouldn’t look me in the eyes, hid under the bed, only came out to eat when I was not around…and that lasted not for days, but for months. There was no getting him into a cat carrier (he escaped once by popping the lid off after I managed to get him into one for a wellness visit). FFL staff were truly incredible at supporting me and helping me learn how to work with him so that he’d be more comfortable with me. They even came out to do a home visit to help me one time, but of course, true to his name, Houdini hid the entire time they were there. To make a long story short, a year worth of work with him, he was finally comfortable with me. So when Beth emailed me that there was room in the fraidy cat room for him, I just couldn’t let him leave. He’s been the best foster fail and I’m so glad he’s found his forever home with me. The toughest obstacle turned into a great blessing for me!

Dog Foster Spotlight: Sabrina Kamioka

There are not enough words to explain how much time and dedication Sabrina has brought to not only the volunteer program but the foster program at FFL in such a short period. We all know that fostering can be hard, especially fostering dogs that come through our program where we are their last hope. She has dutifully taken on these challenges and prepped several dogs for life with their new forever families.

1. How long have you been fostering with Friends For Life?
   I’ve been fostering with FFL since the beginning of 2019 after almost a year as a volunteer at the shelter. 
   
2. What made you become a foster parent?
   I have been a volunteer at FFL since 2018, I do not have any pets and I couldn’t commit to one at the time. I also live far from the shelter so there were times I could not sign up for shifts. It just felt like a great idea. I could have a pet home and do more for the animals from the shelter. 🙂
   
3. What’s your favorite thing about fostering?
   Most of my fosters have had some sort of behavioral challenge they needed help with, whether they were fearful, anxious, stranger danger, etc. My favorite thing is being able to see the little changes over time and how they get more comfortable and confident as we continue to work on those things.
   
4. What has been your toughest obstacle while fostering?
   Not knowing how to handle a situation or if how I’m handling the situation is the most helpful for my foster. But being a behavior volunteer and being able to talk to the BV team and other volunteers to brainstorm whenever I run into any obstacle always help.  

Interested in fostering like Ranelle and Sabrina? You can find out all the details on our Foster page.