Want to learn how to set up a microchip scanning station in your community?
Do you know how to set up a microchip scanning station in your community? One in three pets go missing in their lifetime, amounting to about 10 million lost animals each year, according to Petco Love. Microchip scanning can help reunite lost pets with their families faster and help keep more pets from needing to… Learn More

Learn how to build one-of-a-kind programs for neonatal kittens
Neonatal kittens may be the tiniest residents in our shelters, but they face the biggest risks. That’s why Kitten College: Transforming Tiny Lives Through Innovation, a free self-paced course on Maddie’s^® University, is here to change the story. This one-of-a-kind program gives animal shelters and foster-based organizations the tools… Learn More

Shelter rehoming survey
Home To Home, a non-profit dedicated to supporting pets going from one home to another, is conducting a short 5-question survey to understand how animal welfare organizations view community-led, shelter-supported rehoming. The survey closes on June 11, 2026. Learn More

Weekly Community Conversations
June 8: What You Need to Know
Register now for the weekly Monday 11AM PT/2PM ET call for animal well-being professionals. These 50-minute calls are a collaborative space to share exciting new programs and research, discuss uncomfortable topics, connect with peers in the industry and more, all while sharing a common goal of preserving the human-animal bond. There’s also $10,000 in grants given away each month to participants!

Don’t forget: Monthly grant opportunity!
Maddie’s Fund^® is giving away a $3,000 grant each month to one lucky Maddie’s^® Pet Forum member! You’ll automatically be entered to win each month when you start a new discussion, reply to a new post… Learn More

Want to help keep more people and pets together?
Join Maddie’s^® Mailing List, connect with us at Maddie’s^® Pet Forum and take advantage of free online training with Maddie’s^® University!

#ThanksToMaddie, Open Door Veterinary Collective put together some examples of communities who have successfully implemented them and the impact that they are making.

Download their FREE Microchip Scanning Station Guide and you’ll:

• Discover how a scanning station can facilitate seamless reunions between lost pets and their families.
• Review successful strategies for placing microchips scanning stations in public spaces.
• Review successful strategies for placing microchips scanning stations in public spaces.

Help reunite more pets and their families in your community Explore tips to create your own scanning station and learn from successful programs throughout the country! Download the guide today.

Neonatal kittens may be the tiniest residents in our shelters, but they face the biggest risks. That’s why Kitten College: Transforming Tiny Lives Through Innovation, a free self-paced course on Maddie’s^® University, is here to change the story. This one-of-a-kind program gives animal shelters and foster-based organizations the tools to launch or expand neonatal programs that are sustainable, impactful and built on proven best practices.

Grounded in shelter medicine and guided by the principles of high-quality, high-volume kitten care, this course provides the tools to save more lives through innovation, collaboration and compassion. Graduates may choose to establish their own nationally recognized Kitten College, join the National Kitten College network as a partner site or adapt the strategies to meet the unique needs of their organization and community. Whether you’re starting from scratch or expanding existing efforts, Kitten College provides a roadmap to meet the needs of your community and its tiniest residents.

Kitten College was authored by Marnie Russ, Founder & Executive Director of National Kitten College. Widely recognized as an expert on caring for at-risk kittens, Russ assisted UC Davis and the University of Wisconsin in updating their neonatal kitten guidelines for mass distribution.

“Before we started a Kitten College at my local shelter, we saved around 90 kittens a year – six years later, we saved almost 1600 kittens a year!” said Russ.

Ready to start your own Kitten College? Enroll today!

How one foster-based organization is implementing a low-barrier foster program
Lowering barriers is a key element to attracting and keeping foster caregivers. Kelly Duer, Senior Community Solutions Specialist, here at Maddie’s Fund^® spoke with Becky Costner, Executive Director of Let Love Live, a foster-based rescue organization in Wadena, Minnesota, to ask her about their low-barrier foster program. Using a… Learn More

Shelter rehoming survey
Home To Home, a non-profit dedicated to supporting pets going from one home to another, is conducting a short 5-question survey to understand how animal welfare organizations view community-led, shelter-supported rehoming. The survey closes on June 5, 2026. Learn More

Weekly Community Conversations
June 1: The Shift to Prevention
Register now for the weekly Monday 11AM PT/2PM ET call for animal well-being professionals. These 50-minute calls are a collaborative space to share exciting new programs and research, discuss uncomfortable topics, connect with peers in the industry and more, all while sharing a common goal of preserving the human-animal bond. There’s also $10,000 in grants given away each month to participants!

Don’t forget: Monthly grant opportunity!
Maddie’s Fund^® is giving away a $3,000 grant each month to one lucky Maddie’s^® Pet Forum member! You’ll automatically be entered to win each month when you start a new discussion, reply to a new post… Learn More

Want to help keep more people and pets together?
Join Maddie’s^® Mailing List, connect with us at Maddie’s^® Pet Forum and take advantage of free online training with Maddie’s^® University!

Lowering barriers is a key element to attracting and keeping foster caregivers. Kelly Duer, Senior Community Solutions Specialist, here at Maddie’s Fund^® spoke with Becky Costner, Executive Director of Let Love Live, a foster-based rescue organization in Wadena, Minnesota, to ask her about their low-barrier foster program. Using a “Fosters Welcome” approach is a big part of their recipe for success: in 2022 for the first time, they were able to transfer in over one thousand pets. In 2023, they’re on track to transfer even more.   

How easy is it to become a foster at your organization, and how long does the process usually take?
We are continuously reviewing our foster (and adoption) sign up form to make sure they are quick, easy and streamlined while making sure someone doesn’t come across a question that they think would make them not be approved so would discourage them from applying. Many times new fosters can get approved and set up same day with a pet.  

Since its implementation, the low barrier foster onboarding process has significantly improved our ability to recruit dedicated and compassionate foster parents. Here are some of the key reasons why it has been a game-changer: 

Increased Accessibility: By reducing barriers and simplifying the application process, we have seen a surge in the number of individuals interested in fostering. This inclusivity has welcomed individuals who may have hesitated to apply before, thereby expanding our pool of potential foster parents. 

Diverse Perspectives: The low barrier approach has allowed us to attract a diverse range of foster parents from various backgrounds and experiences. This diversity enriches our fostering community and enables us to cater to the unique needs of our animals. 

Flexibility and Convenience: The simplified onboarding process has made it easier for individuals with busy schedules or other commitments to become foster parents. As a result, we have seen an increase in long-term foster commitments from individuals who were previously unable to participate. 

More Frequent Applications: Our low barrier approach has enabled interested individuals to apply quickly and efficiently. As a result, we receive a higher volume of applications, giving us more opportunities to match animals with suitable foster homes promptly.  

Positive Word of Mouth: Our foster parents have shared their positive experiences with friends and family, generating positive word of mouth. This organic endorsement has encouraged others to consider fostering, further expanding our fostering community. 

Stronger Foster Support System: With a larger pool of foster parents, we have been able to strengthen our support system, providing more resources, guidance, and assistance to both new and experienced fosters. This enhanced support ensures our animals receive the best care possible. 

Saving More Lives: The increased number of foster homes means we can rescue and care for more animals in need. This lifesaving impact is at the core of our mission, and the low barrier foster onboarding has played a significant role in achieving it. 

We have continued to grow our foster base and during the process we have retained a lot of dedicated fosters who are with us for the long haul and now are assisting and overseeing other areas in our foster program too as volunteers.   

Can you tell us a little about how you made the switch to low-barrier policies?
It first starts with everyone on your team. Make sure you have talked with your staff WHY you do it this way and answer their questions so they feel confident in your processes. If needed, have an easy-to-follow script that explains it that your team can then read. Have fosters speak out about the ease of fostering for your program and how quick it was to set up. They are your best advocates for your foster program. Clear transparency for the public and your supporters. Let your data speak for you too. If you don’t already track your data, start now. Track incidences such as lost dogs in foster, outbreaks in foster home-including resident pets, bite incidences in foster, how many foster placements didn’t work the first time and have to come back. All of this information can be used for continued public education and also for reassurances for your team and board/upper management.  

If another organization was looking to make it easier to become a foster, what would you tell them
In the infamous words of Elsa … Let It Go!!! Let go of the control. Let go of the fear. Let go of the “what-ifs”…I remember in the beginning being so stressed of having fosters 3-4 hours away from our office and the struggle of reminding myself to be positive and to breathe…the barriers that I had always known as a justified way to ‘protect’ our org and the pets was a true facade.  Our medical emergencies have been minimal. We’ve had no increase in dog bites or dog fights. No increase in lost or stolen dogs. People want to help. 

Transforming finders into fosters
What is your shelter’s biggest resource? If you didn’t say “our community,” then let’s talk. On our next Maddie’s^® Monthly Foster Connection presentation on June 4, Williamson County Regional Animal Shelter’s Animal Services Director, Misty Valenta, will explore how your community can transform the way you look at your intake counter. Building a community-based team… Learn More

Resource guarding in shelter and rescue dogs
Resource guarding is a common behavior seen in dogs entering rescue and shelter environments, often arising from stress, uncertainty and past experiences around scarce or valuable resources. “Sharing Isn’t Easy: Resource Guarding in Rescue and Shelter Dogs” presentation explores the current research on resource guarding and how it applies to real-world rescue settings. Join us… Learn More

Weekly Community Conversations
June 1: The Shift to Prevention
Register now for the weekly Monday 11AM PT/2PM ET call for animal well-being professionals. These 50-minute calls are a collaborative space to share exciting new programs and research, discuss uncomfortable topics, connect with peers in the industry and more, all while sharing a common goal of preserving the human-animal bond. There’s also $10,000 in grants given away each month to participants!

Don’t forget: Monthly grant opportunity!
Maddie’s Fund^® is giving away a $3,000 grant each month to one lucky Maddie’s^® Pet Forum member! You’ll automatically be entered to win each month when you start a new discussion, reply to a new post… Learn More

Want to help keep more people and pets together?
Join Maddie’s^® Mailing List, connect with us at Maddie’s^® Pet Forum and take advantage of free online training with Maddie’s^® University!

You’ll learn how the Williamson County Regional Animal Shelter transformed its old intake philosophy to a services philosophy. And, in turn, inspired the community to be part of the solution.

Register today for the call on June 4 at 12PMPT/ 3PM ET.

Join us on Thursday, May 28 at 12PM PT/3PM ET for the latest in the Maddie’s^® Monthly Behavior Connection series. Participants will learn how to recognize and assess resource guarding safely, understand the factors that contribute to the behavior, and interpret guarding signals in a shelter context. The session will also cover practical management strategies to reduce risk for both dogs and handlers, alongside evidence-based behavior modification approaches that can help improve welfare and adoptability. Presenting will be Tom Candy, senior Clinical Animal Behaviourist Development Officer at Dogs Trust in the United Kingdom.

Designed for animal rescue workers and shelter staff, this presentation aims to provide the knowledge and practical tools needed to support dogs displaying resource guarding while maintaining safe and compassionate care practices.

The April Weekly Community Conversations grant giveaway winners are…
Earlier this week, Maddie’s Fund^® gave four organizations at random a $2,500 grant for attending the April Weekly Community Conversations for a total of $10,000 in grants. Join us in congratulating the four people who won a grant for their organization: Debra DeVries, K9 Battle Buddies (Hinesville, GA) Carol Fleming, Upper Valley Humane Society (Enfield,… Learn More

Foster Spotlight: Lessons from Award-Winning Programs
The webcast recording from “Foster Spotlight: Lessons from Award-Winning Programs” is now available now on Maddie’s^® University. This webcast focuses on winning strategies from the 2025 Foster 50 Challenge. Through a series of short videos and Q&A, you’ll learn how grant funding helped spark new ideas, expanded foster programs and created measurable change for communities… Learn More

Weekly Community Conversations
May 18: From Kitchen to Community
Register now for the weekly Monday 11AM PT/2PM ET call for animal well-being professionals. These 50-minute calls are a collaborative space to share exciting new programs and research, discuss uncomfortable topics, connect with peers in the industry and more, all while sharing a common goal of preserving the human-animal bond. There’s also $10,000 in grants given away each month to participants!

Don’t forget: Monthly grant opportunity!
Maddie’s Fund^® is giving away a $3,000 grant each month to one lucky Maddie’s^® Pet Forum member! You’ll automatically be entered to win each month when you start a new discussion, reply to a new post… Learn More

Want to help keep more people and pets together?
Join Maddie’s^® Mailing List, connect with us at Maddie’s^® Pet Forum and take advantage of free online training with Maddie’s^® University!

Join us in congratulating the four people who won a grant for their organization:

• Debra DeVries, K9 Battle Buddies (Hinesville, GA)
• Carol Fleming, Upper Valley Humane Society (Enfield, NH)
• Kathryn White, Paws Shelter of Central Texas (Kyle, TX)
• Catherine Williams, Saving Grace Animals for Adoption (Wake Forest, NC)

Want a chance to win a grant for your organization? All you have to do is register for the weekly Monday 11AM PT/2PM ET call for animal well-being professionals and join live or watch on-demand. These 50-minute calls are a collaborative space to share exciting new programs and research, discuss uncomfortable topics, connect with peers in the industry, and more, all while sharing a common goal of preserving the human-animal bond.