This study, which
examined how fostering a rescue dog affected the humans’ physical activity and psychosocial well-being, has some important takeaways:
- Nearly half of study participants saw large increases in physical activity
- Nearly three-quarters saw improvements in mood after fostering for six weeks.
- More than half met someone new in their neighborhood because of their foster dog.
The researchers also mentioned also something intriguing that could potentially point toward making foster onboarding quicker and easier. In this study, the rescue organization had a lengthy foster onboarding process that
included conducting home visits and calling personal references, current veterinarians and landlords. The researchers stated, "Given the extensive foster screening process and significant commitment that fostering requires, researchers should anticipate substantial attrition between the informed consent and dog matching steps." It would be interesting to study how the foster onboarding process impacts attrition rates.#FosterPrograms------------------------------
Kelly Duer
Senior Community Solutions Initiative Specialist
Maddie's Fund
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