Give a dog a mental health break from pet shelter-life by fostering over the holidays

/by


Give a dog a mental health break from pet shelter-life by fostering over the holidays

(Left) Nala (A506035) is a sweet, 1-year-old shepherd who came to us after being found running loose on the freeway. No owner has come for her, and she’s now dreaming of a new home. (Middle) Wilbur (A505843) is a 2-year-old terrier mix looking for his next adventure buddy! He’s a pro at showing off his ‘sit’ command and is eager to ‘roll over’ when asked. (Right) Chadwick (A505924) is a beautiful, 1-year-old Siberian Husky. All three are available for a foster family over the holidays.


Most of us dream of a holiday season full of comfort and joy. But the sad reality is that hundreds of pets in our community will remain homeless throughout the holidays.

At Pasadena Humane, we believe in miracles. Our wish this year is for every single animal in our care to spend the holidays in a home surrounded by love. To reach this goal, we need the support of our community.

You can help get pets home for the holidays by volunteering to foster a pet. When you foster a pet, you are temporarily opening your heart and home to a pet that is genuinely in need of a holiday break from the kennels.

Just a few days out of the shelter has proven to reduce stress and anxiety in sheltered pets, ultimately helping them get adopted. Plus, fostering leads to more successful adoptions thanks to the vital information foster parents can share about how their foster pet behaves in a home.

Fostering can be for as short or long as your schedule allows, although a two-week minimum commitment is preferred. Foster volunteers who can care for large dogs are especially needed.

Here are a few of the big dogs who need your help to find a foster home for the holidays:

  • Wilbur (A505843) is a 2-year-old terrier mix looking for his next adventure buddy! Wilbur is an energetic guy who appreciates the fun things in life! He’s a pro at showing off his “sit” command and is eager to “roll over” when asked.
  • Chadwick (A505924) is a beautiful, 1-year-old Siberian Husky. Chadwick is a friendly, affectionate and well-behaved boy! He loves to play with squeaky toys and enjoys a good game of fetch.
  • Nala (A506035) is a sweet, 1-year-old shepherd who came to us after being found running loose on the freeway! No owner has come forward for her, and she’s now dreaming of a new home for the holidays. She equally enjoys spending time by your side and playing fetch with her favorite toy.

When you foster a pet from Pasadena Humane, we provide all the supplies and support you’ll need throughout your foster pet’s stay. To ensure your pet’s needs are always met, we offer a 24/7 foster emergency hotline.

If you are looking for a more permanent addition to your family, consider our Foster-to-Adopt program. Select pets are available for a 14-day adoption trial, allowing you the perfect opportunity to see if a pet is a good fit in your home before making a lifelong commitment.

To learn more and sign up to be a Pasadena Humane foster volunteer, pasadenahumane.org/foster

Dia DuVernet is president and CEO of Pasadena Humane.

This blog post originally appeared as a column in the Pasadena Star-News on December 2, 2022.