Agnes Ng has always had pets in her life. Growing up in Hong Kong, her family had goldfish, turtles, hamsters, rabbits, budgies, a cat and a dog. When she set up her own home and started a family she made sure it included pets. “I think all children should be brought up with animals,” she says. When the coronavirus pandemic hit early this year and she was spending more time at home, she decided to add to her already busy household of three young boys, two cats and a dog. Rather than adopting, she decided to foster two hamsters from Hong Kong’s Society for the Prevention of Cruelty to Animals (SPCA). It needed a temporary carer for Cocoa and Pebble, to learn whether they were pregnant before putting them up for adoption. “After three weeks, we decided to adopt them,” says Ng. “Our current guest is a baby rabbit, Sassy, who we have been fostering since early April. She will stay with us until June, and by then she will hopefully be strong enough to be neutered and ready for adoption.” Fostering pets has become a trend in many parts of the world, and Ng is among a growing number of Hongkongers welcoming animals into their homes for short periods of time. The SPCA has more available foster “parents” than animals in need of care. “In terms of new inquiries and people coming forward to offer to foster, for this time of year we’ve seen an increase of about 60 per cent,” says deputy director Dr Fiona Woodhouse. “We’ve got around 20 people on the waiting list at the moment.” She says social distancing measures and international travel bans are making people feel they have more time to devote to animal care. “Normally if people have a busy work or social life they may not be at home as much and may be worried about leaving animals at home or not being able to meet their needs,” says Woodhouse. Fostering is flexible and can accommodate various situations. “We match the animals to the fosterers and their abilities and experiences,” says Woodhouse. “Sometimes people are here on short-term contracts and they don’t want to take on an animal without having some idea of where they’re going to be in the future. Others may have plans to move and be concerned their next housing choice may not be animal-friendly. Families may think it’s a good experience for their children if they’ve not had exposure to animals before.” Other people, like Ng, want to help as many animals as they can through fostering. “Some people repeatedly foster – they bring animals back and are prepared to take another one,” says Woodhouse. Foster periods last from four weeks to three months, and sometimes longer. Along with common pets such as dogs, cats, rabbits and hamsters, it’s also possible to foster tortoises, lizards, chinchillas and even snakes. Foster pets decrease loneliness and isolation simply by their physical presence. They help provide purpose by giving people a sense of responsibility and accountability Dr Michael Eason, psychologist and clinical counsellor Animals not old enough to be vaccinated or to live in kennels, animals recovering from illness or injury, and older dogs that can benefit from respite care are common candidates for foster care. Like Ng’s hamsters, the SPCA also seeks foster homes for the length of an animal’s gestation period, to learn whether they are pregnant before finding a “forever” home for them. Apart from transport costs, fostering a pet doesn’t typically incur any expenses. The SPCA, for example, provides all food, bedding, cages, medication and medical checks. Fostering offers a win-win opportunity for pets and their carers, says Woodhouse. “The animals get one-on-one attention and care, and the foster parents get some benefit in terms of interacting,” she says. Hong Kong psychologist and US licensed clinical counsellor Dr Michael Eason, who has two rescue dogs, Marcel and Ginger, says pets – even those who stay for a short time – are a boost for our mental health. “Foster pets decrease loneliness and isolation simply by their physical presence,” he says. “They help provide purpose by giving people a sense of responsibility and accountability. “Foster pets also increase mindfulness, as they help us engage in the present moment through creative play, exercise and bonding. These activities have been shown to reduce our body’s stress hormone levels and contribute to an overall sense of well-being.” What’s more, animals fulfil the human need to touch – patting a pet can lower your heart rate . They also facilitate social interactions and help us make new friends. And, of course, animals make us feel good. “We like animals and having them in our home makes us feel happy,” says Ng. “My children are still small, and having foster pets is wonderful for our family … What we gain always far exceeds what we give.” Some foster carers fall victim to what Woodhouse terms “foster fail” – a good thing: they end up falling in love with, and adopting, the pet. For others, saying goodbye at the end of the foster term can be bittersweet. “Know that you have provided a huge amount of stability and happiness in the life of this animal, and take comfort in that knowledge,” says Eason. Ng says it’s important to organise a proper farewell for each animal. “Foster animals come and go,” she says. “I always tell the children from the very beginning how long a foster animal is staying with us, and I always allow them time to say goodbye.”