"Love at first sight': Holiday foster pets find their forever homes
SACRAMENTO — It turned out to be an extra happy holiday season for some pets and families.
You may remember when people lined up outside the Front Street Animal Shelter right before Christmas last year to offer up their homes over the holidays so pets didn't spend them alone in a kennel.
It's well into 2023 and time to bring them back, but CBS13 learned many just can't seem to let go.
"It was love at first sight for Kay and me," said Claude Vanderwold.
Claude and his wife, Kay, knew they had found their pup in Chloe, a 2-year-old beagle-terrier mix.
"That appealed to me and my wife to foster for two weeks, and within a day or two, we bonded," said Claude.
Front Street Animal Shelter spokesperson Haley Waugh said, within two days, 60 pets found foster homes during the holidays. Eighteen ended up adopted, four were placed with rescue organizations and many extended their foster time from the anticipated two weeks. About 20% of the emergency foster pet parents surveyed said they were planning to adopt or had a friend/family member that wanted to adopt a pet.
"Whether it's just for a couple weeks or longer, that's time that they're going to have loved with you," Waugh said. "The thing about fostering, while coming back to the shelter isn't the best situation for that dog, all that time spent in a foster home is going to help it get into a permanent home."
Claude found his match and he's now encouraging others to find theirs.
"It took us a long time to make the decision and I'm glad we did, and I would tell people not to wait," said Claude. "She spoke to us right at the moment of taking her into the car."
Waugh said foster homes help them learn more about shelter pets so they can find them the perfect forever home. For more information on fostering pets, visit the city's website.