Sparrow came into the Seattle Animal Shelter as a stray where she was running in the streets dodging cars and people. She was very nervous, and spent much of her time in a staff office during the day to try and decrease her fear, anxiety and stress levels as she was much more comfortable there than in a kennel.
After her stray hold time period had passed, and no owner came forward to claim her, she was picked up by a newer short-term dog foster parent who also volunteers in-shelter with the cats and is on the cat foster adoption review team. This foster has a very anxious older dog, Moose, who is selective about what other pets he gets along with, and so finding a good fit for his foster home is very important.
Moose’s person brought him in to the shelter to meet Sparrow first out on a walk and then in the play corral, and he took to her right away.
When they got home, Moose immediately helped Sparrow decompress from the shelter on the couch. And Sparrow, who as a stray was unknown how she would do around cats, did great with the resident cat too!
Soon Sparrow was returned to the shelter clinic to get spayed, and to meet a potential adopter who had seen her online and applied to meet her. Sparrow was already much more confident after her short time in foster, and the meet and greet led to an adoption!
Foster homes can decrease an animal’s length of stay in the shelter system, along with their stress levels. This story highlights the advantages of volunteers who participate on multiple teams at the Seattle Animal Shelter, and short term foster homes are integral to the shelter’s life-saving work!
Thanks to your donations and support, the Seattle Animal Shelter Foundation is able to provide financial assistance to the shelter’s foster program, helping make happy adoptions like this possible.
