As more government offices close their doors due to the COVID-19 pandemic, local animal shelters are asking the public to consider fostering an animal in case they need to close their doors to the public.

Lindsey Soffes, director of Spokane County Regional Animal Protection Service (SCRAPS), said the shelter is still open, accepting animals and doing adoptions, but a future order from the governor, the county or a new quarantine requirement could lock down the shelter. If it is locked down, the animals that are already there won’t be able to be adopted and will be stuck until the shelter reopens to the public.

“We don’t want them sitting in a cage,” she said. “At that time we would hope to get them out of that environment while we wait for everything to normalize.”

Soffes said potential foster families need a safe place for the pet and should set aside a portion of their home, like a bathroom or a dog kennel, for them to acclimate for a day or so and adjust.

Terina Thi, spokeswoman for the Spokane Humane Society, said the shelter already has limited hours. Adoptions, the pet food bank, animal surrenders, and cremations are now by appointment only. The shelter asked members of the public who visit the shelter to limit the size of their party to essential family members only and to social distance from others while they are there. The Kootenai County Humane Society has a similar policy.

To schedule appointments, call (509) 467-5235 extension 215 or email adoptions@spokanehumanesociety.org.

Thi said the Spokane Humane Society also is seeking emergency foster families and families who still are willing to adopt an animal. She said the shelter had adopted out 14 animals since it switched to appointment-only adoptions Tuesday, which is on par with how many animals are normally adopted during that time.

The shelter’s pet food bank still is available through appointments and Thi said it needs donations as many in the community struggle to afford essentials for themselves and their animals.

Soffes said the shelter also has heard from several members of the public who are concerned that animals could give them COVID-19. According to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, there is no evidence that a pet can give a person the novel coronavirus.

“I think that to some degree, folks are potentially concerned about adopting animals into their home and helping pick up strays,” she said. “All we’re trying to do is make sure to connect them with the most current information that’s available, which is that these guys are not going to be direct infection carriers.”

People interested in fostering an animal can find more information on the shelter’s website or contact the team directly by emailing rescue@spokanecounty.org.

Soffes said local shelters need help from their community most other organizations right now.

“We are trying our best to continue to serve an animal to Spokane County,” she said. “During this time, we really rely on the public to help us do that by considering adopting or fostering or donating food and other supplies that are in short, short supply as everything is.”