STROUDSBURG, Pa. — There's nothing like being home for the holidays, but Blair, a 2-year-old Alaskan Malamute at AWSOM Animal Shelter, has no choice.
But you can help by fostering her during the shelter's annual Holiday Pet Foster Program.
"It does bring joy, especially around the holidays. If somebody loses somebody or they're just trying to fill that void, an animal can, most of the time, do that because animals will come to the people. They'll spend time with the people there with them," said Brandon Overbeck, vice president of operations at AWSOM.
Every cat and dog at the shelter near Stroudsburg can be fostered.
Shelter workers say the program is a win-win. It can help a pet find a potential new home while giving workers a break.
People can fill out an application to bring one of the animals home and be part of the family for two weeks.
The program is free, and the shelter will even help you with some essentials.
"We do help you with the food, the litter, if we need to, the bedding. We will help you with anything you might need for the animal during that time," Overbeck said.
If you fall in love while fostering a pet for the holidays and want to adopt, employees say it happens all the time. This year, each foster pet's adoption fee will be partly covered by several donors, making it easier to take home a furry friend.
"If it doesn't work, then obviously, it comes back with no issues, and if it does work out, the hope is that we get more animals adopted," Overbeck said. "We do have a bunch of donors that if they do want to adopt at the end, a lot of the cost is cut down because we have all the donors, and we have more donors signing onto this."
Pick-ups start December 15, and you'll have the pet through January 5.
If you are interested in the Home for the holiday's pet foster program, click here.