Animal Welfare Professionals

Thanks to those who were able to join Camp Maddie: Foster Edition! If you weren't able to join or would like to watch again, all of the recordings are linked here: https://university.maddiesfund.org/products/camp-maddie-foster-edition-package

I had a chance to show a quick 2-minute video (that you can watch below) about our Foster Dog Social Events at Animal Welfare League of Arlington. Basically, we host gatherings where a group of potential foster caregivers can meet an array of dogs one-by-one, get to know one another and the shelter's staff, make personal connections with dogs in need, and even learn some additional dog fostering skills.

I'd love to answer any questions about our Foster Dog Social Events, our dogs with behavioral concerns who are in need of homes, or get you answers about our foster program as a whole. Thank you!

#FosterPrograms
#MarketingandSocialMedia

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Samantha Wolfman
Animal Welfare League of Arlington
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This message was posted by a user wishing to remain anonymous

Unanswered question from the chat:

"Sam, the dogs you show during the social, are they for adoption as well as foster, or only for foster or only adoption?"

Great question! The dogs that we show during this event, because it is an event for current fosters, are dogs that are available, pending foster, stray, awaiting surgery, being evaluated for behavior, etc. We keep it fairly open so that a good chunk of the dogs have an opportunity to go to foster to get more information on them. 

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Samantha Wolfman
Animal Welfare League of Arlington
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Original Message:
Sent: 01-23-2024 10:16 AM
From: Anonymous Member
Subject: Camp Maddie: Foster Edition - Foster Dog Social Events at Animal Welfare League of Arlington

This message was posted by a user wishing to remain anonymous

Unanswered question from the chat:

"Sam, the dogs you show during the social, are they for adoption as well as foster, or only for foster or only adoption?"

This message was posted by a user wishing to remain anonymous

Any advice on placing dog friendly dogs in homes with the right dog match? We at times have dog friendly dogs but that still need management and can pose bite risks if the foster parents move too quickly or their dog acts differently in a meet vs at their home?

We offer dog meets at our shelter to the fosters that have dogs in their homes for those exact types of dogs you're talking about. A lot of the meet has to do with management and advising the foster on how to handle both dogs in the same space. This typically happens post-event on a different day. That way we get people back in the building and they can prepare to have the dogs meet. We ask about their dog's personality and play-style and match from there -- even if they go home with a different dog than what they originally came for, we emphasize the relationship between the dogs being the utmost important factor. 

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Samantha Wolfman
Animal Welfare League of Arlington
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Original Message:
Sent: 01-23-2024 10:16 AM
From: Anonymous Member
Subject: Camp Maddie: Foster Edition - Foster Dog Social Events at Animal Welfare League of Arlington

This message was posted by a user wishing to remain anonymous

Any advice on placing dog friendly dogs in homes with the right dog match? We at times have dog friendly dogs but that still need management and can pose bite risks if the foster parents move too quickly or their dog acts differently in a meet vs at their home?

This message was posted by a user wishing to remain anonymous

For the dog socials, does this mostly go for adult dogs? Have there been any cat socials for kitty lovers? Maybe smaller because cats are different?

We run these for adults, adolescent dogs, and sometimes puppies if we're having a tough time moving one for whatever reason. We have not tried any cat socials yet as bringing cats in and out of a space may become really stressful for different cats. However, we do have regular social activities like kitten yoga and a Paws and Read program where kids are allowed to go into the cat room and read out loud to the cats in our care that have been pre-approved by our teams. We have gotten several cats and kittens adopted through these offerings. 

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Samantha Wolfman
Animal Welfare League of Arlington
------------------------------

Original Message:
Sent: 01-23-2024 10:17 AM
From: Anonymous Member
Subject: Camp Maddie: Foster Edition - Foster Dog Social Events at Animal Welfare League of Arlington

This message was posted by a user wishing to remain anonymous

For the dog socials, does this mostly go for adult dogs? Have there been any cat socials for kitty lovers? Maybe smaller because cats are different?