Tag: Foster

Home for the Holidays… and Beyond: Iroh’s Story

Posted on by Maddie Cushing
Iroh, a brown and white dog, lays on the floor of the living room in his new home, which he found through the Home for the Holidays foster program.

It was a frosty November afternoon in 2023 and fosters participating in the Humane Society of Utah’s Home for the Holidays program were beginning to arrive. Home for the Holidays is a short-term fostering program during which families take a shelter dog home the Wednesday before Thanksgiving and bring them back the Friday after. This gives the pups a break from the shelter and a cozy home to curl up in over Turkey Day.

Iroh, a spotted dog with soulful eyes, waited anxiously for someone to choose him for a holiday break. He hadn’t been enjoying the shelter, with all of its novel sounds and smells, and was timid of new friends. Little did Iroh know, all of his holiday wishes were about to come true.

Iroh, a brown and white dog, sits on a dog bed following his participating in the Home for the Holidays foster program.

Iroh Goes Home for the Holidays

Maya had been a volunteer with HSU for a couple of years and was excited to try out fostering. Home for the Holidays seemed like the perfect opportunity to do so as the pets would only be going home for a few days.

As fosters arrive, they chat with staff to pick out a pup who will be a good fit for them. Maya had originally had her eye on another dog, but they weren’t the best match. When she asked who else was available, HSU’s foster team suggested Iroh.

“When we first met Iroh, he was absolutely terrified,” Maya shared. “We saw him slowly start relaxing over a couple of days and realized what a fun, cute personality he has.”

As Iroh’s personality began to shine through, Maya and her family realized that Iroh might be right where he belonged. Home for the Holidays began to turn into simply “home.”

Iroh, a brown and white dog, gives his new sibling, a black and white dog named Millie, a kiss.

Iroh Becomes a Part of the Family

When dogs return to HSU from Home for the Holidays, fosters have the option to choose to adopt. So, on the morning of Friday the 24th, Maya proudly signed Iroh’s adoption contract, officially making him a part of the family.

“He showed us so much love in such a short period of time. We knew he belonged with us,” Maya said. “Iroh struggles with epilepsy and anxiety, so he needed someone who could meet his needs. We had the resources to do that.”

Once Iroh was officially welcomed into his new home, it came time to meet his furry siblings! In addition to Iroh, Maya has a dog named Millie and a cat named Luna. She slowly and carefully introduced Iroh to the pair, and he fit right in.

“Iroh and Millie fell in love with each other, although Millie had to get used to sharing the attention,” Maya said. “They spend all their time together, whether they’re playing, cuddling, or exploring. Iroh feels safe with Millie, which eases his anxiety whenever we bring them on adventures!”

As for Luna, Iroh is respectful of her boundaries. Though Maya reports that Iroh is very curious about Luna, he is extremely gentle with her. Luna rarely permits the dogs to get too close to her, but Iroh loves planting a kiss on his kitty sibling’s face whenever she’ll allow it.

Iroh, a former Home for the Holidays dog, plays with a broom in the grassy green yard of his new home.

Checking in on Iroh Today

Iroh has been happily living with Maya and her family for nearly a year now. Maya describes him as a lover boy in constant need of attention. He spends his days snuggled up by his humans’ feet wagging his tail, playing with rope toys with Millie, and— a new interest of his— going on hikes!

“On his first hike, he started out very cautious and fearful, but he ended up having the time of his life!” Maya said. “Once he realized he was safe, he loved splashing in the water, howling his heart out, and sniffing all of the things. We have since taken him on a couple more hikes, and it’s just adorable how much fun he has.”

Maya also added that she would highly recommend Home for the Holidays to anyone considering participating.

“It’s not too much of a commitment since it is only for a couple of days, and these animals need a break from the shelter environment sometimes,” she said. “It’s super fun to have a canine friend around for the holidays, and who knows? You might just find your new best friend!”

Iroh, a former Home for the Holidays dog, enjoys an autumn hike.

If you’re interested in participating in Home for the Holidays this year, we’d love to have you! We will be offering this program over both Thanksgiving and Christmas. For the Thanksgiving session, fosters pick up their dog from HSU on Wednesday, the 27th, and return them on Friday, the 29th. Christmas dates are currently yet to be determined.

Sign up today on our fostering page by submitting an application and mentioning in the comments section that you are specifically interested in Home for the Holidays.

Fostering Animals: An Act of Compassion

Posted on by Margaret Langworthy
Bon Bon the black and white puppy on a car ride

It truly takes a village to support the most vulnerable animals in our community. Between donors, volunteers, staff members, and community partners, so many people contribute to our mission in different ways. At the Humane Society of Utah, we are grateful that our village includes an amazing network of foster volunteers who repeatedly provide lifesaving care. Fostering is a crucial step on the road to recovery and adoption for many of our animals. Although it is hard work, our foster volunteers find that the process is also rewarding and full of joy.

The Importance of Fostering Animals

When animals need extensive care a home environment is often the best option. But where does that leave animals still waiting for a permanent home? That is where our amazing foster volunteers come in! Fosters open up their hearts and homes so animals have a space to recover or recuperate. No two animals are the same, so our dynamic foster volunteers provide a wide range of care and support. This might include aftercare for surgery patients, bottle feeding for newborn puppies or kittens, or creating a calm space for an animal to decompress. We are constantly impressed by the level of care and commitment that we see from our fosters. 

Dedicated foster Liz Fonua recalls her experience with Ethel, a sweet young puppy with a severe heart murmur. Ethel needed round-the-clock attention as she recovered from surgery. Liz even counted her breaths per minute to make sure everything functioned properly. As Liz remembers, “she would just sleep on your chest and it was like she just listened to your breaths and heart beat.” Thanks to Liz’s attentive care, Ethel fully recovered and found a loving home!

Ethel the puppy recovers from surgery

Tom Anderson fostered cats in San Francisco before moving to Utah, so he knew about the hard work and joys of fostering animals. He generously stepped in as a foster for cats with Calicivirus. As Tom explains, “I think my experience fostering the Calici cats is a perfect example of why foster programs are so important. This highly contagious virus is unwelcome in shelters so getting those cats out of the population is important during their recovery.” We couldn’t agree more with Tom’s assessment. Foster volunteers allow us to care for animals in ways that would be difficult or impossible without a foster option. Fostering also opens up space within our facility so even more animals can find a home. Foster volunteers are vital to our mission and we are grateful for them every day!

A Meaningful Experience

Anyone who fosters an animal knows the process can be difficult and emotional. However, it is often a fulfilling and joyous experience as well. Janet Clark explains that her favorite part of fostering is “seeing the dogs relax and discovering their personalities – smart, silly, stubborn, goofy, whatever.” She recalls a poodle who was very quiet and shut down when she first arrived. However, she came out of her shell one morning upon discovering snow! As Janet describes, “she started bouncing around and playing in it like a maniac! It was so great to see a different side of her like that”. We hear many stories like this from our foster volunteers, who see these animals truly blossom as they recover and find comfort in their temporary homes. Nothing is more rewarding than watching an animal come out of their shell and show their true personality. 

It is always bittersweet to say goodbye to a beloved foster animal. Our foster volunteers form a real bond with these pets. As Liz describes, “each dog is a forever part of our family.” Many foster volunteers even keep albums or photo displays of the animals they have cared for. But when it is time to say goodbye, they know they are setting these animals on the path to a loving and permanent home. 

  • Photo album of foster cats
  • Tan puppy sleeping with toy
  • Photo wall of of foster animals

If you want to support animals in your community, fostering is a great place to start! If you have the time, space, and capacity to open your home to an animal, we encourage you to look at our foster page. You may be surprised by the lessons you can learn from these animals, the bonds you can form, and the memories you will always cherish.

A Sweet Cat’s New Beginning

Posted on by Margaret Langworthy
Sweet cat laying down

Our staff fell in love with a sweet cat named Mags (formerly Lucy Goosey) when she came to the Humane Society of Utah (HSU) in October 2023. This affectionate senior girl loved nothing more than getting cuddles from the staff and volunteers at HSU. Unfortunately, Mags’s sweet demeanor was not the only thing we noticed about her. Staff quickly recognized that she was in pain and struggling with her health.

Sick cat looking forward

Foster To The Rescue

Mags came to us with a swollen face and discharge coming from her nose and eyes. Her symptoms pointed to a chronic respiratory infection. Medical staff immediately started Mags on antibiotics to manage the infection and ease her discomfort. She was placed with Laura, one of our foster volunteers, so she could recover in a safe and comfortable environment. Foster volunteers are crucial to the healing process for so many sick and injured animals who come through our doors. We take pride in our clean and state-of-the-art facility and our excellent medical resources. But when an animal needs time to recover, we can all agree that nothing competes with a comfy couch, one-on-one attention, and the calm of a home environment. This is where our foster volunteers come in – opening up their homes and hearts to animals like Mags. 

Laura took excellent care of Mags as we continued to monitor her health and progress. She needed multiple rounds of antibiotics and remained in foster for almost a month. As Laura recounts, “despite all of Lucy’s trials, she remained so sweet and cuddly. She would jump in your lap almost before you could sit down”. 

A New Development

Although Mags was showing signs of progress in her foster home, she was not out of the woods just yet. Our medical team grew concerned, as Mags’s symptoms were not responding as expected to the medication. It was time to switch gears and try something new. Additional tests revealed that Mags was suffering from stomatitis, a severe oral inflammation. Poor Mags’s case was so severe her own teeth were causing her discomfort! Extreme as it may sound, the best solution was to remove her teeth entirely. With the problem identified, we wasted no time getting Mags into surgery so her path to comfort and healing could continue. Of course, Laura the caring foster volunteer was right there to help her through the final stage of recovery. Mags even got to spend the holidays out of the shelter and in the comfort of Laura’s home.

Sweet cat looking to the side

A New Beginning

Mags remained her sweet and cuddly self through all of her discomfort, treatment, and recovery. When she was healthy and ready to find a home, we knew someone would easily fall in love with her. Malena came to the Humane Society of Utah looking for a companion and instantly connected with Mags. She remembers, “After interacting with her and seeing how loving she was I knew I wanted to give her a home.” She knew right then and there, Mags was coming home with her.

Malena is happy to report that Mags has been in great health since her adoption. She has gone from the sick and injured cat who first arrived at HSU to an energetic and playful gal. Malena marvels at how Mags does not let her senior status or previous health challenges slow her down! “Although she is an old girl, she still has her zoomies and loves to play”. And of course, at the end of the day, Mags is still the sweet cat she has always been. As Melena describes, “she is the best at late night cuddles, and the most excited buddy to see you when you come home.” 

Mags’s transformation was possible thanks to the vigilance of our medical staff and the dedication of our foster volunteers. Laura reflects on her experience as a foster volunteer, and the impact it had on herself and the animals. “It’s been such a meaningful experience for me and my kids while they were growing up. It’s such an important part of HSU so they can adopt out as many animals as possible.” We couldn’t agree more!!

If you are interested in fostering an animal like Mags, you can visit our foster page for more information. You can also support sweet cats like Mags by making a donation!