Foster Tails – February 2026
Foster Volunteers: Rookies of the Year!
Tyler Davidson & Mandie Bartz
Tyler Davidson and Mandi Bartz joined our Foster Family in November 2025 and have exceeded expectations time and time again. Initially hoping to test-drive their fostering experience with an easy-going kitten or two, Tyler and Mandi were flexible and accommodating when their first assignment ended up being a bit more challenging. RCHS was desperately seeking a foster for a sweet 3-month-old kitten living with Cerebellar Hypoplasia (CH), or Wobbly Cat Syndrome. This condition is not life- threatening but limits mobility significantly and requires caregivers to make special environmental accommodations to keep the animal safe.
Cats/kittens with CH also require a higher level of supervision due to the unpredictability of their motor functions. Tyler and Mandi met this little guy (who they eventually named Opie) and decided to take a chance on him. Sweet, little, wobbly Opie thrived in their foster home! Tyler & Mandi quickly learned all about Opie’s quirks and habits (including his affinity for swan diving off the couch) and built their routines around making sure he was safe and comfortable (installing a “crash pad” of pillows on the living room floor, for example).
Tyler and Mandie’s passion for fostering and their love for their foster kittens is undeniable. They frequently sent us heartwarming updates that made us tear up with joy and were incredibly detailed when sharing information via our foster surveys. They also provided us with plenty of adorable photos of Opie living the lavish life! Because of Tyler and Mandie’s incredible efforts, Opie was adopted into his forever home the first day he became available for adoption! The duo has since welcomed a second foster kitten and were just as successful, with spunky little “Taco” being adopted into his new forever home right away as well!
Wobbly kitten Opie enjoying Tyler & Mandie’s foster home for the holidays!
All-In Ambassadors for RCHS
Tyler and Mandi have also cemented themselves as sensational community ambassadors for RCHS! Mandi is amazing when it comes to promoting foster animals on social media and highlights their sweet personalities regularly to generate adoption interest! Her consistency and social media literacy are incredible assets to RCHS’ mission of promoting adoption into loving homes. Tyler has also graciously advocated for RCHS becoming one of Tenfold Real Estate’s preferred charities in their spectacular fundraising effort known as the Tenfold Impact Initiative! This is a philanthropy division of Tenfold Real Estate in which 10% of commission from every sale is donated to a charity of the client’s choice. We are so honored to be chosen and would like to extend a special thank you to Tyler and his team!
Because of Tyler and Mandie’s dedication, consistency, and willingness to try new things, we’ve chosen them as our 2025 Foster Volunteer ‘Rookies of the Year’! Thank you for all you do, Tyler and Mandie! We are so excited to see where your RCHS fostering journey leads next!
Open Your Home. Save a Life.
Kitten season is right around the corner, and we need foster families for newborn and very young animals who require extra care. It’s hands-on and deeply rewarding—there’s nothing like watching a tiny animal grow strong and head off to their forever family.
We’re also seeking fosters for animals experiencing behavior challenges or medical issues. While we do everything we can to reduce the stress of our shelter animals, fosters make the biggest impact in helping animals relax and flourish.
It is no cost to you, RCHS provides all supplies: food, bedding, training pads, and medical care. We even offer behavior and training support in the form of resources, virtual training sessions and at-home training sessions. We will provide you with the information and resources to succeed. Our program is flexible, with commitments ranging from a few days/weeks to a few months. All you provide is love.
Not able to foster right now? You can still “Lend A Paw” by making a donation to support animals in need.