Brenda Leake wants to find a heartwarming and loving home for her “kids.”

Leake, the shelter director of Just Animals in Seneca, is partnering with Petfinder.com, hoping to foster some of its dogs this Christmas season.

“We’ve been talking about how great it would be to get our pets into homes for Christmas,” Leake told The Times. “This is the first time we’ve fostered for the holidays. We probably have about 20 dogs right now.”

The current dog population ranges in age from five months to four years.

The program runs from Wednesday, Dec. 23, through Saturday, Jan. 2. There is a $25 fostering charge to cover licensing fees, and if the family decides to adopt, there is a $195 to $250 adoption fee, but the $25 fostering charge would be deducted from that fee.

Those interested must fill out application papers as if they were going to adopt so the shelter can verify the animal is going to a good home.

Leake said people choose to foster for various reasons.

“Some of them are not allowed to have pets on a long-term basis, some people can find out a lot more about a dog by fostering,” Leake said. “It’s a great opportunity to give back. A lot of people aren’t quite sure if they’re ready for a pet and this helps them make that decision.”

Leake said the fostering process normally works well.

“It works out wonderful for people,” she said. “We try to pair up animals that will fit into the home. We have a lot of great dogs right now.”

Interest in the program has been growing.

“I have been getting calls for a few weeks,” Leake said. “People are very interested in this and are hoping to get their family interested as well.”

Leake said the shelter does get stray animals, but the hardest part has been getting animals through house foreclosures, leading to a family that cannot support the dog or cat anymore.

“It’s heartbreaking,” she said. “So many of them are great animals and it just rips your heart out. It’s very hard to see a dog with a good loving home and lose it. It’s very hard on the families and they cry along with us when they have to give up a part of their family to us.”

Pet Project, which is moving from Grand Ridge to Marseilles, is not currently offering fostering services.

“We’ve done it in the past, but it’s difficult because folks who want to foster often have other animals, and they don’t always get along,” said Sue Tonielli, president of the Pet Project board.

The Times was unable to reach Illinois Valley Animal Rescue in Peru by press time to see if they offer similar programs.

In Streator, PAWS to the Rescue, a canine rescue group, offers a foster program year-round. The group was founded in 2008 in response to a growing need for animal control assistance in La Salle County. For more information on PAWS or to donate, go online to www.pawsttr.org.

“I imagine coming in Christmas morning to do chores at the shelter and having the entire ‘Dog Room’ empty, all our ‘kids’ with a human to love, a soft place to sleep and a cuddle just for a bit,” said Leake. “Now that would be my perfect Christmas dream.”

Interested in fostering a dog or cat during the holidays?

Contact Brenda Leake, shelter director at Just Animals in Seneca.
Address: 2996 26th Road (E. Union St.)
Phone: 815-357-1223
e-mail: adopt@justanimals.org

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