Dog field trips and short-term dog foster homes may be exactly what organizations can do to increase its adoption rates. In fact, a new journal publication finds that shelter dogs who went on field trips were five times more likely to be adopted! Additionally, those who went into short-term foster homes (defined as one to two nights), were more than 14 times more likely to be adopted.

The ins and outs of these short-term fostering programs can be learned through the course, Short-Term Foster and Field Trips. This Online Instructor-Led Course is just one of 10 that you can apply to this spring. Instructor Dani Tietgan, Adoption & Foster Manager, Charlottesville Albemarle SPCA will be begin her four week course on March 6, 2024. 

These programs decrease stress in shelter dogs, increase your number of volunteers and ties to the community, increase your number of adoptions, potentially increase your funding base, and can be easily and inexpensively run by volunteers. Why wouldn’t you start or grow a short-term program? Learn all you need to know to get a plan in place and start now. 

One student shared that the course had “much information and many helpful ideas with promoting foster programs and how to get more dogs out and about.”

Apply now for one of these coveted spots. The application period ends on Friday, February 16, 2024.