Animal Welfare Professionals

Has anyone out there tried to set up “Tiny Home” style dog foster buildings with attached kennel yards to help your fosters care for their foster dogs?  We have started a “Healthy-Dog Pup Hut campaign to build three of these facilities in our area (see www.GOFUNDME.com/healthy-dog-pup-huts) .  The idea is that each 10x12 shed (tricked out like a tiny home complete with home-quality windows and doors, a heater and TV, and stuffed chairs) is attached to a 10x15 fenced kennel area that is elevated off the ground to allow for easy sanitation/disinfection.  These semi-mobile units would then be placed on Foster Family property to allow them to care for foster dogs while they go through a quarantine period to confirm they are healthy, and identify training requirements to improve adoption chances.  Our hope is that the facility will allow both the foster dog and the family to get to know each other with the least stress and risk to all concerned, while the dog lives in comfort and is given one-on-one attention.   This is particularly important to us because we do not have a centralized facility to house the dogs, and so we cannot quarantine dogs before placing them with Foster Families.   We have fewer and fewer Foster Families every year, and need to find a way to make Fostering more enjoyable and risk free.   I am interested in hearing what experience others might have with this kind of facility.   

#fostercare
#decentralizeddoghousing
#FosterPrograms

This is such a wonderful idea! I love how this will help solve issues that a lot of fosters have regarding space and really give the pups a comfortable place to grow. I also love the way you describe how the tiny homes would be used on your GoFundMe page. Really takes the guess work out of contributors exactly what the funds will be used for. Wishing you the best of luck on your GoFundMe campaign!

#FosterPrograms

I am glad to hear that you get what we are trying to do from the GoFundMe page. I still get questions from many saying they don't get it. "Why do you need to spend so much money", "Just give the dogs away, they will go fast!"  "You are asking for too much!" are some common responses.  My first reaction is "Read the article!!".   My follow-up reaction is  "Wow, how do I say all this in a sound bite to grab the attention of my audience so they will take the time to read the explanation of what we are trying to do and why?"  I am more of an engineer by both training and attitude.  I solve problems by really delving into the issues at every level.  I have come to realize that this is a very unusual trait, and I am frustrated regularly when I don't seem to be able to communicate the importance of what I have learned and how it might be addressed.  It seems clear that those of us in rescue get it, those that are not don't.  I really feel that I don't know how to capture the attention of the inexperienced rescuer and get them to see why this kind of facility is needed without telling a bunch of sad tales, which is NOT the way I want to approach this.  However, once you have one parvo puppy, you get it.  Most people successfully raise their own puppy to adulthood and don't see what the big deal is to take care of a puppy for "a few days" (LOL) while the rescue finds it a home.  (sigh)   What can I do to improve this campaign to capture the attention of those that have money to donate?

#FosterPrograms

@Jenn at High Plateau Humane Society I just sent you a message-- I'd love to chat with you further about ways to find fosters!

#FosterPrograms

We just launched our Tiny Home Village with 16 currently on-site  - we have received a lot of national media attention for them and are in the process of building and putting in 24 more so we will have a total of 40 in the next few months- they are amazing and working well-  it has been a 2 year journey as we are in PA and had to jump though lots of hurdles with our dog warden.  We have an onsite community clinic, so our vets were involved in the design as well.  Happy to answer any questions but I have been telling everyone this is the future of rescue!!  Terri

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Terri McKendry
Executive Director
Animal Care Sanctuary
PA
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Original Message:
Sent: 09-06-2018 01:20 PM
From: Jenn Andersen
Subject: Tiny Home Foster Dog Housing

Has anyone out there tried to set up "Tiny Home" style dog foster buildings with attached kennel yards to help your fosters care for their foster dogs?  We have started a "Healthy-Dog Pup Hut campaign to build three of these facilities in our area (see www.GOFUNDME.com/healthy-dog-pup-huts) .  The idea is that each 10x12 shed (tricked out like a tiny home complete with home-quality windows and doors, a heater and TV, and stuffed chairs) is attached to a 10x15 fenced kennel area that is elevated off the ground to allow for easy sanitation/disinfection.  These semi-mobile units would then be placed on Foster Family property to allow them to care for foster dogs while they go through a quarantine period to confirm they are healthy, and identify training requirements to improve adoption chances.  Our hope is that the facility will allow both the foster dog and the family to get to know each other with the least stress and risk to all concerned, while the dog lives in comfort and is given one-on-one attention.   This is particularly important to us because we do not have a centralized facility to house the dogs, and so we cannot quarantine dogs before placing them with Foster Families.   We have fewer and fewer Foster Families every year, and need to find a way to make Fostering more enjoyable and risk free.   I am interested in hearing what experience others might have with this kind of facility.   

#fostercare
#decentralizeddoghousing
#FosterPrograms