OSCEOLA COUNTY, Fla. – As Osceola County Animal Services works to improve its facility, the shelter is urgently seeking foster families to help care for animals in need.

The shelter is undergoing significant upgrades.

“We are building a new sick isolation building, which is going to house 24 kennels. It’s also going to have a food prep area for them to be able to take care of our dogs,” Project Manager Sterling Langley said. “We also doing a little facelift for the building. We painted the exterior. We have new landscaping. We’re going to have a new X-ray room that has been built, some finishing touches to the admin area, new flooring, new paint.”

These enhancements are crucial for keeping the shelter’s furry residents safe and healthy. Program Specialist Chelsea Wilson emphasized the importance of these changes.

“We got a new isolation building, so that’s going to help our animals away from our general population so that we can keep illnesses, the number of illnesses, down,” she said. “We got a new wash station, so it’s just it’s really awesome. Not just for the animals, but for the staff here. It’s making our jobs a lot better.”

While construction is expected to be completed by June, the shelter is in urgent need of foster families to provide temporary homes for cats and dogs. The ongoing renovations create a noisy environment that can be stressful for the animals.

“When we move animals, it not only stresses them out, but it also puts them at risk for illness. So the fewer moves we have to do here at the shelter, the better, so we can get them out for even just a week,” Wilson explained.

The shelter provides medical care, food and all necessary supplies to ensure a smooth fostering experience.

“A lot of people don’t think that they’re ready for a dog, and then they get it in their home and they’re like, I actually want to keep this guy,” Mileny Robles with Osceola County Animal Services said. “So we always say that it doesn’t hurt to at least give it an opportunity.”

If you’re interested in fostering, you can apply by visiting osceolacountypets.com or calling the shelter if you’re already an approved foster.