Home for the holidays: Animal Protective Services needs foster families for pets

JACKSONVILLE, Fla. – Local animal shelters need your help.

Animal Care and Protective Services in partnership with the Jacksonville Humane Society need your help with temporary fosters during the holiday season through its Silent Night Program.

“Our push right now is to get all of the animals in the shelter into a temporary home for the holidays. So, we’re closed on Christmas day of course, and we would love to have all of the dogs and cats in the shelter in a home, so they don’t have the tree of a shelter and they get to spend our holidays with a family,” said Jennifer Walter, Animal Care, and Protective Services Division Chief.

After the year many have experienced, fostering a pet could help you in more ways than one.

“As a psychologist, it’s important that we take care of our mental health and dogs especially given what’s going on with covid right now, it’s just one way and animals in general, it’s just one way to continue to enhance our well-being,” said Dr. NaTasha Jordan, a psychologist, and writer for Jacksonville Mom.

Dr. NaTasha Jordan adopted her family pet from a shelter 8 years ago.

Jordan’s family is now looking for a new furry friend to foster for the holiday season.

From now up until December 24th - you can foster a pet through the Silent Night program.

If you’re interested the process is simple - you will answer some questions about your lifestyle, what you’re looking for in a pet, and your holiday plans.

ACPS will then match you with a pet to stay with you for the Christmas holiday, the pet can then be returned on Saturday, December 26th.

“Get out here today and foster an animal for one night for the silent and who knows you might just walk away with a long-time friend,” said Dr. Jordan.

Holiday Hours of Operation

Tuesday, December 15 - Friday, December 18: 12 p.m - 7 p.m.

Saturday, December 19 - Sunday, December 20: 10 a.m. - 6 p.m.

Thursday, December 24: 11 a.m. - 3 p.m.

Friday, December 25: CLOSED