As more troops have been sent overseas, more pets are in need of temporary care while they await their owner’s return home.

Operation Foster, a nationwide nonprofit, helps provide some of that care by connecting service members with volunteers willing to foster dogs, cats and other pets. 

“We’ve definitely seen a drastic increase in requests because of how active the military is currently,” said Gisele Fetterman, with the nationwide nonprofit, previously known as Pact for Animals. 

The nonprofit was born in 2011 after founder Buzz Miller witnessed a man surrendering his dog at a shelter because he was getting deployed.

Since then, volunteers with Operation Foster have cared for 3,500 pets that have gone to be reunited with military-connected families, Fetterman said. The nonprofit works to place mostly dogs and cats, but they have found temporary care for snakes, a few bunnies and a horse as well, she said. 

Colorado Springs resident Julie Lemke and her family cared for two cats, Pepper and Chai, for seven months while their owners were in South Korea and described it as a meaningful way to support military members.

Her two youngest daughters loved playing with the cats and the family sent lots of photos to the cats’ owners to help provide them with peace of mind, she said.

Lemke’s brother served tours in Iraq and Afghanistan, and so it’s important to her to give back to military families. 

“I’ve seen firsthand the monumental sacrifices that serving our nation requires,” she said. “This is a great way to serve soldiers and demonstrate our appreciation to them.”

Operation Foster works to ensure the pets are a good fit for the foster homes and any other pets they may be placed with, Fetterman said.

Some volunteers don’t have any other pets and just prefer to foster for others, she explained. In one case, a volunteer has been fostering pets for eight years, preferring to be a grandma of sorts to dogs in need. 

In addition to active-duty troops, the nonprofit also serves veterans who need pet care for medical reasons. In some cases, veterans hesitate to seek needed treatment when they are experiencing a mental health crisis because they don’t want to leave their pet behind, she explained. 

For volunteers, it tends to be “joyful” work, “allowing someone to serve in peace or heal in peace,” Fetterman said.  

More info can be found at operationfoster.org.