ODESSA, Texas (KOSA) –
Fix West Texas and Virginia Tech are teaming up to study animals in the adoption process.
The findings could have a big impact on local foster programs and increase successful adoptions.
This collaborative research focuses on animals from both foster homes and shelters with the goal of finding their forever homes.
Back in January, a researcher in the Virginia Tech College of Agriculture and Life Sciences started a collaboration with PetSmart charities on improving canine welfare.
Virginia Tech is now working at Midland Animal Services on a program called hybrid fostering.
Hybrid fostering is a combination of shelter care and home-based care where dogs spend a few days in a foster home and return to the shelter.
Lisa Gunter, Assistant Professor at Virginia Tech, said, “They benefit immediately. It’s a reduction in stress for them when they’re able to go into a home, but it actually helps them get adopted. Sometimes by as much as 15 times more likely to be adopted when they get to go into a foster home.”
With recent capacity issues in Midland animal shelters, this gives dogs the opportunity to get adopted faster.
According to a Virginia Tech graduate student that’s been working on the program, every dog that’s experienced hybrid fostering has gotten adopted.
So, for the next five days, Virginia Tech and Fix West Texas will be working together to get these dogs adopted through the hybrid fostering program.
“Fostering them just for a night or two can improve their immediate welfare but also give them a better chance to being adopted because once you’re out in the community everybody sees you and if they see you, you can get adopted and get a new home,” said Gunter.
Virginia Tech’s research goes beyond fostering dogs.
They are also measuring their behavior while in the shelter using a dog Fitbit collar. The collar tracks the dog’s respiration, pulse, heart rate variability and activity.
Graduate Student at Virginia Tech, Grace Phillips, said, “In addition, we always want to try to improve the conditions for shelter dogs while they are waiting for their forever families. So, we’re hopeful that this program will kind of be the best of both worlds.”
Midland Animal Services is waiving all adoption fees starting now until March 24th.
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