Volunteer of the Month - May
This month we are celebrating Jennifer Aldrich, Foster
In this position, Jennifer has fostered over 30 cats for VOKRA since 2016. She has a special affinity for helping scared and shy cats and gaining their trust to help them blossom into confident kitties. In recent years, Jennifer has also taken on the challenge of fostering pregnant cats as well as caring for wee newborns.
Ashra Kolhatkar and Jen Duggan, both Foster Coordinator for VOKRA, recommended Jennifer Aldrich for VOKRA’s Volunteer of the Month Award because of her outstanding work ethic, her commitment to learning, and her unwavering dedication to caring for even the most challenging of kitties.
“Jennifer stands out among VOKRA's fosters because she's always willing to learn, to take on challenging kitties and she never complains - even when dealing with quite difficult situations. Working with Jennifer is an absolute pleasure, and it has been wonderful to watch her grow into such an experienced and skilled foster. We're so lucky to have her at VOKRA!" -Ashra Kolhatkar
"Jennifer is a dedicated foster who has gone above and beyond while fostering a litter with feline panleukopenia this past winter. When her kittens became ill, she learned life-saving skills to help them make it through – including bottle feeding, subcutaneous injections, and fluids. It wasn’t an easy task (mentally or physically) to care for critically ill kittens, but she persevered and because of all of her hard work – Cheeto and Dutch made it through their illness! Throughout, she monitored weight, appetite, and poop, and drove across the city several times for emergency medical care. We are very thankful to her for all that she has given to save the lives of these two very special kittens." -Jen Duggan
Why did you start to volunteer with VOKRA?
I started volunteering with VOKRA in 2016 as a way to give back to the community in a way that utilized my love of animals. The first few years I did not have many foster cats but have slowly increased my capacity over the years.
DO YOU HAVE A FAVORITE CAT THAT YOU HAVE FOSTERED?
My favourite foster is Nugget who was in a litter of extremely feral kittens and I had to tame them in burrito wraps to get them used to human touch. Nugget is now my foster fail and the only cat who gets along with my older tuxedo rescue, Mini. My favourite foster kitten (besides Nugget) was a semi-feral barn cat who became the most affectionate and loving ginger boy. I still miss him but do get updates from his forever new parent. I find it extremely rewarding to gradually earn a cat’s trust and see them blossom in a safe environment. That principle really applies to all living beings.
WHAT ARE SOME OF THE CHALLENGES YOU HAVE FACED AS A FOSTER?
Over the last year, I had a few pregnant cat fosters who gave birth in my home. One litter was medically challenging, at a time when I had my own medical challenges so it was a sort of solidarity with these little babies. Sadly, a few of the kittens didn’t make it and I felt all of VOKRA grieving with me. I had to step up to provide more advanced medical care to the surviving kittens once they got through the worst of their illness. I experienced the lengths to which the medical team at VOKRA will go to save a kitten's life in a humane way.
WHAT ARE THE BENEFITS OF BEING A VOLUNTEER FOSTER FOR VOKRA?
While it is always hard to say goodbye to fosters, it does give me a sense of completion that I value. It is rewarding to see how different personalities develop.
“A cat has absolute emotional honesty: human beings, for one reason or another, may hide their feelings, but a cat does not”
This quote really sums up why I love fostering and love cats especially. Their honesty is refreshing. They tell you directly what they want if you speak their language. If they need comfort, they will seek it out by making biscuits. If you give them blinkies, they understand what you are saying with no assumptions. I’ve loved animals since I was a small child. Now as an adult, I’m always looking for ways to include “meow" in a sentence.
VOKRA offers a variety of fostering opportunities including caring for orphaned kittens, feral kittens, pregnant mothers, mothers with kittens and adult cats. Our busiest time of year is between April and October, but we need foster homes year-round. Volunteers are an integral part of our organization. Without them, we could not rescue and find loving homes for the more than 1,400 kittens and cats VOKRA takes in each year.