Citrus County Animal Services partners with Petco Love to save pet lives through fostering

Citrus County, Florida (June, 2026) – Citrus County Animal Services and national nonprofit organization Petco Love are celebrating Foster a Pet Month this June, asking for the Citrus County community’s help to make a lasting impact on the lives of shelter pets.

Citrus County Animal Services is looking for fosters of all kinds – whether you can foster for an afternoon, a few days, or a few weeks, you’re giving that pet a better chance at being adopted into a loving family. In fact, pets who are taken on a field trip for a few hours are five times more likely to be adopted! This summer, you can be that shelter pet’s foster fling before they meet “the one”.

Here's what Citrus County Animal Services is looking for ….

• Must love pets! 
• Short-term and/or long-term fosters for dogs and cats:
  • Moms with litters of puppies or kittens (2-8 weeks)
  • Orphaned underage puppies or kittens (2-8 weeks)
  • Stress reduction (1 day - 2+ weeks)
  • Supportive medical care (1- 4+ weeks)
• The primary caregiver of the foster animal must be at least 18 years old.  However, younger people can help at the home and potentially receive school credit.  Students can receive 2 hours a day for fostering.
• Caregiver will need to provide a state issued Identification Card, phone number, and email address in order to fulfill communication requirements for fostering. 
• Fosters will need to bring the animal to CCAS periodically (typically bi-weekly) to be examined, receive vaccinations, or obtain other necessary medical treatment.
• Experience level: No foster experience required.

“We recently had around 240 animals at our facility and 140 in foster care,” said Colleen Yarbrough, Citrus County Animal Services Director. “We wouldn’t be able to care for as many pets as we do without the help of our generous fosters.”

“Fosters are critical for our thousands of animal shelter partners across the country as they open space in those shelters and rescues to help more pets in need, especially during the busy summer months,” said Chelsea Staley, President of Petco Love. “We’ve learned if just 2% more pet-owning homes fostered a pet, we could end preventable euthanasia in America's shelters. Fostering also ensures those pets get acclimated to life in a home and become more adoptable and successful when they do get adopted – setting them up for a lifetime of love.”

For more information about fostering pets from Citrus County Animal Services, visit citruscounty.gov/foster and apply to foster a pet today. Learn more about Petco Love and National Foster a Pet Month here: petcolove.org/adopt/foster-a-pet.