Julielani, this is exactly the work I want more of in the Maddie's community. Bookmark-worthy.
The first infographic maps almost one-to-one onto AAF's Adoption Boost program, the post-adoption support arm of our six core programs. We run a 7/30/60/90 day follow-up sequence and your 2-day/2-week/4-month cadence is a better-tested version of the same instinct. The 98 percent and 90 percent opt-in rates back up something we have suspected: when shelters offer support easily, adopters take it. The "adopters want support, especially when it is easy" line is the whole game.
The second infographic is the kind of data Shift to Prevention has been asking for. The 31 percent behavior-concern stat, the 11-14 percent return rate with about half driven by unwanted behavior, and the visual progression of separation-related issues over four months. I will be citing these in AAF's Year 1 Adoption Boost case writeup, with full attribution to Life of Kai and the Buckland 2025 and Kress 2026 sources.
Looking forward to our call. Apologies for having to reschedule today.
Safety net fostering plus structured post-adoption support is exactly the bridge most shelters do not have built yet, and these two graphics make the case visually in a way most policy papers cannot.
Thank you for sharing these.
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BJ Adkins
Founder/Director
Animal-Angels Foundation
Pinson, AL
bjadkins@animal-angels.organimal-angelsfoundation.org
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Original Message:
Sent: 05-13-2026 02:02 PM
From: Julielani Chang
Subject: Lessons from Maddie and Life of Kai: Supporting Dogs and Humans Through Transition
Since 2021, Life of Kai has been part of the Maddie's Fund learning community and gained so much from the many organizations, trainers, behavior professionals, shelters, and advocates working to improve animal welfare. The landscape of animal welfare continues to evolve, and we hope to be active participants in the growing movement toward prevention, education, emotional wellbeing, and stronger support systems for both pets and people.
We wanted to share these infographics with the Maddie's Fund community as a small way of giving back and paying forward what we have learned through both experience and education.
The two infographics were inspired in part by Maddie's Fund Thursday behavior webinars, which helped validate something we strongly believe at Life of Kai: the transition from shelters, rescues, and foster homes into permanent homes can be the make-or-break period-not only for dogs, but also for the humans trying to give them a loving future.
These graphics aim to offer a flexible, support-centered perspective. Through Maddie's journey and our work with adopters, fosters, and behavior cases, we've seen that adjustment is not linear. Behavior evolves, stress responses shift over time, and early emotional support and guidance can make a tremendous difference in long-term outcomes.
We hope these visuals help encourage compassionate expectations, proactive support, and a deeper understanding of what dogs and families may experience during those critical first weeks together.
Our belief: Because when pets feel safe and supported, families do too.
#Behavior,TrainingandEnrichment
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Julielani Chang
The Life of Kai: Compassion Connections Inc.
Davis CA
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