PHILADELPHIA (KYW Newsradio) — For the third year, the Brandywine Valley SPCA is holding its annual holiday sleepover program for needy pups.
The shelter is looking for foster families to host dogs over the upcoming holidays. The goal is to get overlooked dogs into forever homes.
“In a shelter, some dogs are a little more stressed out and they may not look great in their kennel,” said Linda Torelli, BVSPCA spokesperson. “They may stay to the back, they may be a little afraid, they may bark, and so they may not make a connection with an adopter like another dog. It may be an older dog.”
The volunteers will need to foster the dogs in their homes between Christmas Eve and New Year’s weekend.
“Studies have shown that short-term fostering really helps reduce the stress in shelter animals, particularly dogs,” Torelli explained. “To welcome one of these dogs for a week is really going to go a long way in the quality of life for this animal, so that is a success.
“If someone then decides that they have fallen in love with the dog or one of their neighbors or friends meets the dog and wants to adopt, that is an absolute bonus,” she said, “but we are really looking for these dogs to get a break and to learn a little bit about them at home.”
The shelter also wants foster families to take photos and videos of the dogs and provide information about them, like behaviors or personality traits, so they can be better understood — a step that helps the adoption process.
Last year, about three-fourths of dogs in the sleepover program were placed in permanent homes.
Applications are currently being accepted. Photos of the dogs are listed online, too.
“We got a very short form to sign up for your interest in holiday sleepovers,” said Torelli. “One of our life-saving coordinators will then talk with you about your family — do you have kids? Other dogs? What’s the environment like to help make a match for a holiday sleepover?”