TWP’s Mission To Save Shelter Dogs (And How You Help)

Have you ever wondered if those few hours you spend taking a shelter dog out for ice cream or that weekend sleepover actually makes a difference? I’m writing to share some incredible research that proves what we’ve always felt in our hearts: fostering truly transforms shelter dogs’ lives!

Researchers from Virginia Tech and Arizona State University recently published a study in the journal “Animals” that measured exactly how much impact even brief fostering experiences have on shelter dogs:

• Dogs who went on brief outings (just a few hours) were 5 TIMES more likely to be adopted
• Dogs who stayed overnight in foster homes for 1-2 nights were 14 TIMES more likely to be adopted

This means your fostering efforts create a ripple effect far beyond your own home. When you take a shelter dog out into the community or share their story on social media, you’re essentially becoming their advocate and helping them find their forever family.

Let me share a personal experience that shows how even minutes can make a profound difference:

While training in Texas, I was assigned an incredibly strong pit bull named Spike. When we first met, he gave me nothing but dirty looks – his entire demeanor screamed “humans don’t care about me, and I don’t care about humans.” He wanted absolutely nothing to do with me.

I took him out to a field with five other trainers and their shelter dogs. We did some individual training and then a mini group class together. By the end of just 30 minutes, he looked like a different dog. His face had softened, his entire body relaxed, and he even approached me for scratches. Those 30 minutes meant the world to him.

If an adopter had visited the shelter in the days following, they would have met a completely different dog – one in a better mood and much more likely to make a connection. I don’t know what ultimately happened to Spike, but I do know that every shelter dog needs this kind of attention to stay mentally healthy. 

Some dogs go “kennel crazy” after just a few days; for others, it takes weeks, but they all eventually reach that breaking point without human interaction.

At our organization, we foster because it saves lives – plain and simple. The shelter environment, even the best ones, is incredibly stressful for dogs. When we can get them into temporary homes, we see their true personalities emerge, which helps us match them with the perfect adopter. This prevents returns and sets both the dog and their new family up for success.

As trainers, we’ve been given so much by the dogs in our lives. That’s why whenever we can fit a foster dog into our schedules, we make it happen. Even a single day can mean the difference between a dog being overlooked in the shelter and finding their forever home.

If your heart is telling you to volunteer for shelter walks or become a foster parent, I strongly encourage you to follow that instinct. Even just a few hours – makes an extraordinary difference in their lives and adoption chances.

Let me know if you’d like to learn more about CAWS or their fostering program. We can put you in touch with someone on their team.

With gratitude for all dogs,

Ryan

P.S. If you’re worried about getting too attached, remember this: the temporary heartache you might feel when saying goodbye is nothing compared to the lifetime of happiness you’re helping create for that dog and their new family.