This post originally ran in 2021.  Finding foster caregivers for pets who have behavioral needs can feel daunting, but it doesn’t have to be. Here are six strategies animal welfare organizations across the country are using to do just this!    1. Prioritize “unicorn” fosters who have ideal home set-ups for some of your more challenging pets (people who don’t… Learn More

This post was originally published in 2019.  If you’re interested in growing your animal shelter or rescue organization’s foster program, creating a community culture that values fostering is critical.  One of the easiest ways to begin doing this is to bring foster care into the conversation as much as possible in your organization’s communications. Talking… Learn More

This post originally ran in 2017. With Thanksgiving approaching and other holidays to follow, we thought this would be the perfect opportunity to reshare what Humane Society of Delaware County (HSDC) in Ohio learned about short-term fostering.  What do you do when your shelter offers short-term “holiday” dog-fostering over Thanksgiving, and nearly half of those… Learn More

Does your animal organization have a successful foster-to-adopt program for individuals who want to “foster” an animal before committing to adoption, to ensure it’s the right fit for their home? Or are you looking to start one? Kelli Jordan of Tallahassee Animal Services recently shared on Maddie’s® Pet Forum that they’re looking to start one,… Learn More

Field trips for dogs are great for boosting their adoptions and engaging with your community (research shows that dogs taken on a field trip are five times more likely to be adopted!), but those aren’t the only benefits. Shelters and rescue organizations are seeing advantages for volunteers and staff as well!  When Sarah Aguilar became… Learn More

Join us on August 1st at 12pm PT/ 3pm ET for Maddie’s Monthly Foster Connection! This month, Lauren Nickerson, Executive Director, Hawaii Island Humane Society and Katie Hutchinson, Outcomes Manager, Pima Animal Care Center, will present on Foster-to-adopt programs: Supportive pathways from shelter to home. At the start of the COVID-19 pandemic in 2020, Hawaii Island… Learn More

Research in U.S. shelters shows that short-term foster programs like field trips and overnights are powerful tools for increasing dogs’ chances of adoption. Dogs who go on a field trip are five times more likely to be adopted than those who don’t, while those who go on a sleepover are an astounding 14 times more… Learn More

This post originally ran in 2019.  “How can we recruit more foster caregivers?” is a common question by organizations that want to save more lives. However, the real question they may be trying to answer is a little broader in scope: “How can we put more pets into foster care?” When it comes to placing… Learn More

It’s kitten season again, and who isn’t on the lookout for more foster caregivers for neonatal kittens? Here are seven tips for finding and keeping them!   Make sure your supporters understand why kittens are in need of foster (i.e., this is a critical time in their development for socialization with humans, and their immune… Learn More

If you’re looking to bring new ideas to your organizations foster program, then look no further than Maddie’s® Monthly Foster Connection. This monthly webcast held on the first Thursday of the month at 12PM PT/3PM ET is an opportunity to discuss successful foster innovations and programs, collaborate with others in the field, answer questions and… Learn More