Lifestyle

Adoption Ambassadors Help Pets Find Their Forever Homes

Story by Meredith Roddick | Photos by Ashley Ruzich

In an ideal world, all homeless animals would have their very own foster parent, marketing team, and adoption counselor—without ever having to live in a shelter environment. Asheville Humane Society’s new Adoption Ambassador Program—based on a model originally developed by the ASPCA—helps create that perfect scenario.

Until now, AHS’ fostering opportunities have typically been focused on pets receiving medical treatment or who are too young to be adopted. Once they are healthy and ready, these pets move to the adoption floor. Yet, a dog who barks excitedly or a cat who becomes withdrawn in a busy adoption center may be overlooked by potential new owners as opposed to those who are more relaxed. Pets like these need an advocate, an ambassador.

This was a concern for three AHS employees— foster care coordinator Evie Schenkel, adoption services director Pam Burgess, and associate director of community engagement Kim Roberts—who saw the need for such a program. The volunteer adoption ambassador fosters the pet who may not put their best paw forward in the adoption center. In the new, more relaxed home environment, the pet gets more one-on-one attention and becomes more adoptable.

“With the ambassador committed to finding their foster pet a permanent home, this program is extremely beneficial for pets who may be overlooked in a busy setting like an adoption center,” says Pam. “Potential adopters are able to witness the pet’s behavior in the ambassador’s home while learning about their personality and routines directly from the person who interacts with them daily.” AHS provides food, supplies, and any needed medical care. They also train the ambassador to help adopters complete the necessary paperwork.

The first ambassadors to demonstrate the new program were Kelsey and William, who fostered Queen, a six-year-old Border Collie mix. At first, Queen acted fearful and skittish, and did not get along with Kelsey and William’s other two dogs. By the end of two months, Queen made tremendous progress and became comfortable with the entire family, dogs included. AHS was ready to put her on the adoption floor. Worried that Queen would feel abandoned, Kelsey asked if they could continue fostering and help find her a permanent home.

Adoption Ambassadors Help Pets Find Their Forever Homes

Diana Dauer and Dexter

Kelsey created a Facebook page for Queen, documenting her journey and giving potential adopters a look inside her daily life. Soon Queen was adopted by a loving family who fell in love with her Facebook personality. Queen instantly hit it off with her new family’s dog, Crumb, a significant change in her behavior facilitated by her adoption ambassadors’ attention and care.

Another program beneficiary, Dexter was a severely malnourished baby potbellied pig in need of a foster home where he could heal. He was nine pounds and 11 weeks old when Diana Dauer started fostering him.

Once Dexter was stronger and old enough to return to AHS, Diana was given the opportunity to continue caring for him through the Adoption Ambassador Program. She was excited about the prospect of finding him a home.

Though he received a lot of interest from potential adopters, Diana made sure they understood the magnitude of this commitment as pigs can grow very large and need more space than the average house pet. She finally found him the perfect home. At six months old and more than 50 pounds, Dexter got to stay with the loving person who nursed him back to health. As Diana says, “Dexter had already adopted me and I was the only one who hadn’t figured it out.”

For more information about how to become an Adoption Ambassador, contact foster@ashevillehumane.org. Meredith Riddick is the communications and digital fundraising manager of the Asheville Humane Society. 

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