Are you the kind of person who seeks out the dog at the party? Are you concerned that there may not be a dog at your family’s holiday get-together this year and you’ll have to socialize with people? Become a holiday foster parent for a local shelter and BYOD (bring your own dog!)
Several shelters around the country seek fosters for the holidays, and it’s a win-win-win situation for all involved!
Holiday foster parents get to bring a furry friend to their holiday gathering, the dogs get a break from the shelter, and the caring staff gets to spend more time with their families! This is a great idea if you don’t think you can take on a long-term foster, but can give a pup a happy holiday!
Holiday fostering also exposes these pets to potential adopters. You may not get a family member to the shelter, but when they get to meet an adorable adoptable face-to-face, it may open their minds and their hearts to the possibility of adding a pet to the family!
Holiday fostering isn’t new this year – Richmond Animal Care and Control began holiday fostering several years ago and has seen a lot of success with the program. The first year, about 35 pets were taken out for Thanksgiving, and around half were adopted by new friends they met that day! Since then other shelters have adopted similar programs, asking locals who may not be able to adopt or long-term foster to get their pets out of the kennels for just a little while. The pets get a nice meal, a day out, and a lot more exposure than they’d get in their kennels!
Even if you plan to spend the holidays alone on your couch, consider inviting a friend from the shelter over to watch the parade or share a little meal! Check the list below or with your local shelters to see if you can share your holiday with a friend! Shelters who participate in holiday fostering programs start seeking volunteers a few weeks before Thanksgiving, and again before Christmas – so be sure to check in before their cutoff dates.
Some people insist that taking a dog out of the shelter temporarily confuses them – but staff take good care to make sure that the pets eligible for these programs aren’t likely to suffer stress, and will appreciate the break. The benefits for these pups far outweigh the unlikely cons.
These are just a few of the shelters that have asked for holiday fosters in the past – but there are more out there! Call your local shelters! If you know of any that are not on this list, let us know on Facebook so we can add it here and spread the word!
(This list is shelters that have run a holiday foster program in the past – check with these shelters to see if they’re continuing the program this year!)
California
Angel City Pit Bulls
Family Dog Rescue
Kern County Animal Services
Georgia
Lifeline Animal Project
Missouri
Gateway Pet Guardians
Nevada
The Animal Foundation
New Mexico
Bernalillo County Animal Care
Ohio
Franklin County Dog Shelter & Adoption Center
Pennsylvania
Saved Me
Texas
Austin Animal Center
BARC Houston
Euless Animal Services
K-9 Angels Rescue
Montgomery County Animal Shelter
Williamson County Regional Animal Shelter
Virginia
Richmond Animal Care & Control
Lost Dog & Cat Rescue Foundation
Portsmouth Humane Society
Wisconsin
Albert’s Dog Lounge
Also, be sure to check out some of our helpful holiday tips for dogs to help make the most of your time with your foster!
“Naughty” and “Nice” Holiday Foods For Your Dog
How To Help Your Anxious Pup Banish The Holiday Blues
Introducing Your Dog To Guests: How To Keep Everyone Calm And Comfortable
Featured Photo: @magic_dragon95/Instagram
Toledo, United States.
