Muttville Senior Dog Rescue shared a story that is worth reading if you want to better understand how best practices meet the best science in rehoming pets. The story of the dog, named Boomer, and his two families is heartwarming, but also shows the practical side of pet rehoming.
Reducing barriers to adoption and showing compassion for those surrendering their beloved companions can go a long way toward relieving overcrowding in shelters. The people at Muttville understand that anyone can fall on hard times. Sometimes people are confronted with life circumstances that mean they can’t keep a pet with them anymore.
Muttville also models a world where an adoption that turns out to be temporary isn’t seen as a failure and people celebrate when an earlier owner can be reunited with their dog. No judgment.
All this we now know to be beneficial for the dogs, too. The science now shows us* that fostering is much better for a dog’s welfare than kennel housing. After all, what is a temporary adoption, but a foster from the dog’s perspective? And we also know that an adoption return actually results in a dog who finds another adopter faster than the first.
Another important thing to mention here is that all this is being done by a rehoming organization that works exclusively with senior dogs. Many in animal sheltering consider senior dogs to be difficult, if not impossible, to find adopters for.
Hats off to Muttville Senior Dog Rescue. Make sure to read Boomer’s story.
*This is only one of a number of studies showing this benefit)
