Resources for Foster Volunteers

Vicky Pape
Director of Animal Placement
vpape@lollypop.org | ext. 219

Vicky has been working at Lollypop Farm for over 10 years now! One of the biggest things she’s learned throughout the years is how lucky we are to have a wonderful community who constantly goes about and beyond for animals in need.

At home, Vicky has a cat, dog, horse, and mouse of her own! In her free time, she enjoys riding horses, which she has done since she was little, traveling, and being with her friends and family.

Sue Dusett
Foster Care Coordinator
sdusett@lollypop.org | ext. 285

Sue began fostering animals over 20 years ago before becoming a Lollypop Farm staff member in 2010. She loves supporting foster care volunteers just as much as she loves caring for the animals. She finds that the most rewarding part of working in our foster care department is seeing the volunteers give an animal another shot at life. When that animal is being taken care of in a foster home, it frees up a space at the shelter for more animals in need.

Sue has two dogs and four cats (all “foster fails” – it happens sometimes!) at home. In her free time, she loves spending time with her family, animals, and camping.

Emily Onyan
Foster Care Coordinator
eonyan@lollypop.org | ext. 201

Emily joined Lollypop Farm in January 2020. Since her time in the foster care department, she has learned a lot from the animals, including what it means to be resilient. She has watched many animals leave the shelter sick or scared, and come back healthy, happy, and friendlier than before. Seeing this time and time again has shown her just how important and impactful our foster care volunteers are. It makes her smile to think of how many animal’s lives have been saved while also changing the lives of the humans who have cared for them!

Emily has three cats (for now…) of her own and enjoys drawing and playing video games in her spare time.

Rachel Tullock
Rescue/Transport Coordinator
rtullock@lollypop.org | ext. 215

Rachel began working at Lollypop Farm in October 2019. She has found that the best part of working in the foster care department is finding out what an incredible and strong community we have supporting us. With the compassion and willingness to help out, Rachel truly feels like our community is family. She also loves getting updates on the animals as their journey continues past Lollypop Farm!

At home, Rachel has a long-haired rabbit named Rosalinda and a flame-point cat named Sloth. She loves diving into her family tree and discovering new things about her family’s past! Her family is very close to her heart and she loves spending time with them.

Q: Am I provided all the necessary supplies to care for the animal?

A: Yes! Lollypop Farm takes pride in being able to provide our foster care volunteers with all of the necessary supplies they’ll need to care for the animal they agree to foster. We only ask our foster care volunteers to provide a loving home!

Q: How long will I be expected to foster an animal?

A: This always varies based on the animal. In our foster pleas, which you will receive via email once you sign up, our foster care coordinator will always provide an estimated length of time for the animal to be in the foster home.

Q: What if I need to return my foster animal earlier than expected? 

A: We understand that life happens. If you need to return your foster animal to Lollypop Farm earlier than expected, just let us know! There is no judgment, and we are thankful for any amount of time you help an animal stay out of the shelter environment.

Q: Is it hard to say goodbye?

A: It can be. Foster care volunteers definitely need the ability to say goodbye, but we will help you as we send pets off to their new adoptive homes. Each adoption saves a life, but a great foster care volunteer can save many lives by socializing and rehabilitating pets needing extra time and care to be ready for new homes.

Q: What if I want to adopt my foster animal?

A: If you decide you’d like to adopt your foster animal, that’s wonderful! Let us know, and we’ll guide you through the next steps.

Q: Can I help find adopters for my foster animal?

A: Yes! You know your foster animal best. If you think they’d be a great addition to a person or family that you know, just let us know! We’ll connect with them to see if it’s a good match.

If your foster pet experiences a medical emergency during our building’s open hours (Monday – Friday, 9:00 a.m. – 6:00 p.m., Saturday & Sunday, 10:00 a.m. – 5:00 p.m), please call our clinic at 585-223-1330 x272.

If your foster pet experiences a behavioral emergency during our building’s open hours (Monday – Friday, 9:00 a.m. – 6:00 p.m., Saturday & Sunday, 10:00 a.m. – 5:00 p.m), please call our foster care team at 585-223-1330 x285.

After-Hours Emergencies:

If you feel the animal is exhibiting emergency symptoms after hours while in your care that cannot wait until Lollypop Farm is open, please get in touch with Veterinary Specialists and Emergency Services at 825 White Spruce Blvd in Rochester at: 585-424-1277. Their new hours are from 6:00 a.m. to 10:00 p.m. You will need to alert them that you foster for Lollypop Farm and have a foster animal that is sick or injured, and if they recommend you come in, you will need to present your Lollypop Farm foster contract when you arrive.

If your foster animal is exhibiting emergency symptoms between the hours of 10:00 p.m. and 6:00 a.m., Lollypop Farm has partnered with a veterinary telemedicine service called Vidaah. Vidaah is an online service where you can chat with a vet for assistance during an emergency. Information about Vidaah is sent to all foster care volunteers when they sign up.

If your foster animal is experiencing a behavioral emergency outside of our building’s open hours, please call 911 or your local animal control office.