Shamelessly posting here for traffic. I have just started fostering an animal through a brilliant scheme and was shocked to hear that they are desperately short of foster carers.
Petretreat is run jointly by Women's Aid and the RSPCA. It offers temporary foster care for established pets belonging to families who have had to flee domestic violence. You look after the animal for a couple of months until the family are safe, housed in a new place and back on their feet.
Many refuges do not allow pets and survivors of DV are often reluctant to leave them behind with a violent perpetrator. Giving them the option of foster care removes one of the many challenges of leaving a violent relationship.
They need foster carers from everything from gerbils to horses and will pay for all food, equipment and vets bills whilst the animal is in your care. My cat was very timid when she first arrived, but with a bit of love and a lot of tuna she is slowly coming out of her shell.
It is definitely worth a look:
www.rspca.org.uk/whatwedo/petretreat/fosterers