"Queer Eye" star helps Austin Pets Alive! spread fostering message

AUSTIN, Texas - Local shelters are asking the public for help fostering animals amid the coronavirus pandemic and one of them got some help spreading the word from a "fab" temporary Austinite.

Austin Pets Alive! posted a video on its social channels featuring "Queer Eye" star Antoni Porowski who is fostering a dog from the shelter. Porowski is in town with the other stars of the show filming season six of the series.

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The need for fostering has been intensified as the coronavirus COVID-19 has shut down most businesses in Austin and people are being asked to social distance.

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Shelters are trying to cope with fewer volunteers, fewer people coming in and more animals to care for.

The Austin Animal Center has also put out the call and is asking people to foster lost pets that they find instead of bringing them to the shelter, which is closed until March 30.

RELATED: Austin Animal Center asking residents to foster lost pets that are found

AAC says that if people find animals they should take steps to reunite lost pets with their families and also try to sign up to be an emergency foster. Some steps the shelter recommends:

• Submit a Found Animal Report by calling 311 or using the Austin 311 app.
• Take the animal to any Austin fire station or recreation center, a veterinarian, emergency animal hospital or pet store to have the pet scanned for a microchip.
• Post the pet as found on sites like Nextdoor, Craigslist and Austin Lost and Found Pets.
• Hang flyers where the pet was found, as most pets are found less than 1,000 feet from their home.

CLICK HERE TO SEE MORE PETS THAT ARE LOOKING FOR HOMES.