Our KNX Heroes of the Week, the Lizarraga family, are helping adoptable, furry friends find their forever homes!
For the past four and a half years, Karen Lizarraga and her family have fostered about 200 animals in Southern California!
Karen and Polar BearKaren Lizarraga
“We mostly do puppies, sometimes orphan neonatal puppies that need bottle feeding,” she told Heroes host Heather Jordan. “We occasionally have mama dog and puppies, and sometimes do kittens. One time we had 10 Saint Bernard puppies. They were 2 weeks old, and they were all bottle-fed.”
For Karen, fostering is a family affair. All five of her kids help out, and so do the family pets.
“My kids do a charter school that's homeschool-based, and so we can kind of make our own schedule,” she said. “So my teenagers will all take a time slot during the night. So usually it's every three to four hours for neonatal bottle-fed animals. Somebody will do late night, somebody will do middle of the night, and someone else will do early morning, and so we all can still get some sleep in, and it's not a huge strain on anyone. For a lot of these neonatal puppies that we get that need a mom figure, like our pets become that for them. They'll teach them the dog things that they need to know. “
Karen and her five kids, and petsKaren Lizarraga
Karen says this has been a wonderful way for her and her family to give back.
“We wanted to do something to help the community,” she said. “We are animal lovers, and this was something that was the kids' idea. They wanted to do it, and we're all working together for someone else's good. It's selfless service that we're giving, and it really teaches the kids really good work ethic and community service, and so the kids have learned so many things about animals, and it's free education for us.”
Karen also credits the Humane Society for providing medical care and food for the animals.
Their most recent foster dog that just got adopted, Rocket!Karen Lizarraga
If you are interested in becoming a foster parent for a pet, contact your local Humane Society or animal shelter.
San Diego Humane Society
Pasadena Humane Society
http://www.pasadenahumane.org/
Orange County Humane Society
https://www.ochumanesociety.com/
Inland Valley Humane Society and SPCA
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