At Elle's House Animal Rescue, temporary fostering is not a pause. It is protection.
In January 2026, we rescued three puppies off Panama Lane. They were scared, hungry, and overwhelmed. Instead of placing them immediately into high-traffic adoption events, we used short-term foster placement inside our home-based rescue setting.
Within days, their behavior changed.
• Eating consistently
• Sleeping through the night
• Learning to trust hands and voices
• Playing instead of hiding
Luna was one of those puppies. She stayed in short-term care while we completed her health check, vaccination schedule, and socialization work. That temporary stability allowed her to decompress. She was adopted February 15, 2026, into a loving home 250 miles away. No fee. No donation. Just the right placement.
Temporary fostering has also helped us keep pets with their families.
We have provided short-term holding for owners facing medical procedures and housing instability. Instead of surrendering permanently, families were able to reclaim their pets once stable. That prevented trauma for the animal and heartbreak for the family.
Short-term care also protects shelter capacity.
When municipal shelters are full, even a few days of decompression in a foster environment prevents kennel stress, illness spread, and behavioral decline. A stressed dog in a loud kennel can shut down quickly. In a home setting, that same dog can reset.
We have seen shy cats become social within 48 hours of quiet foster placement. We have seen dogs labeled "anxious" become confident after structured short stays.
Temporary care works because it is intentional.
It gives animals:
• Quiet space
• Predictable routine
• Human connection
• Time to breathe
It gives families:
• Options
• Hope
• Dignity
It gives rescues:
• Flexibility
• Capacity management
• Better adoption outcomes
Short-term fostering is not a gap. It is a bridge.
For small rescues like ours, it makes pet retention, safer adoptions, and long-term placement possible.
Temporary care saves lives, protects families, and strengthens the entire community.
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Debi Olivas
Elle's House
Founder
Bakersfield, CA
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Original Message:
Sent: 02-19-2026 09:47 AM
From: Michele Ting
Subject: February + March 2026 Giveaway: Safety Net Fostering - The Stories Behind Temporary Care
We are a foster based rescue in Northern Nevada. We work with a local veterinary practice as well as our local and surrounding shelters and animal control agencies. We are often in the position of providing safety-net type fostering in order to pull an animal out of a dangerous, life-threatening, or disadvantaged situations. One recent example is of a cat we took in on January 26th. We were contacted by community partners in Winnemucca to see if we could help. Cordelia, as we call her, was found by someone who was hiking. When they found her she was emaciated and badly injured. She had a ruptured eye and was covered in mats. We were able to assist and provide immediate foster care for her. She has been to the vet and is still recovering with her foster family.
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Michele Ting
Resource Manager
Pawsibilities
NV
Original Message:
Sent: 02-01-2026 08:00 AM
From: Maddie's Pet Forum Admin
Subject: February + March 2026 Giveaway: Safety Net Fostering - The Stories Behind Temporary Care
Some of the most powerful impacts in animal well-being don't happen through long stays or permanent placements. They happen with temporary, safety net fostering that keeps pets with people, out of the shelter, and supported through moments of crisis.
Safety net fostering provides options for short-term care for pets whose families are facing challenges like hospitalization, housing insecurity, domestic violence situations, economic hardship, or emergencies. Sometimes the goal of our work isn't adoption, but rather providing solutions to set families up for success. These programs help keep families together, prevent unnecessary surrenders, and ease pressure on shelter capacity while offering invaluable support to both pets and their people.
We Want to Hear Your Stories: When has temporary or safety net fostering (even just a few days or weeks) made a real difference for a pet, person, or community?
Whether it helped a pet stay with their family through a crisis, a nervous or stressed animal decompress and thrive, a shelter manage capacity peaks, or a foster caregiver discover the joy of short-term support, share your story below!
By participating in this thread in February or March 2026, you'll be entered into our two-month giveaway! One random participant will receive $1,000 in unrestricted funds to support your organization in whatever way will make the greatest difference.
Temporary care isn't "just a few days", it's a lifeline that makes pet retention, shelter efficiency, and community care possible. We can't wait to read your experiences!
Looking for more ideas, examples, or support? These community conversations, conference recordings, foster connection meetings and resources offer space to learn, and hear directly from others building safety-net and temporary foster programs.
#FosterPrograms
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Maddie's Pet Forum Admin
Maddie's Fund
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