While many dogs available for adoption in Los Angeles Animal Services (LAAS) shelters like the Best Friends Lifesaving Center in Mission Hills are young, healthy, and great with people and other dogs, it can still take a long time to find them homes of their own.
“Large breed dogs can be a challenge to adopt in Los Angeles, often due to rental or home owners association restrictions,” said Brenda Barnette, general manager of LAAS.
“We have a lot of fabulous dogs here who end up staying in a kennel for weeks to months or longer. They really need a break from shelter life. Sometimes we find that foster volunteers are key to finding their charge a new home just during walks in the neighborhood.”
So the LAAS is partnering with Best Friends Animal Society for “Five to Thrive” this January, asking Los Angeles dog lovers to take home a long-stay resident for five days (or longer).
Fostering can help shelter dogs in several ways, according to Jennifer Pimentel, executive director of Best Friends Animal Society in Los Angeles.
“It gives dogs a chance to enjoy time outside of a shelter and fosters can give us information on what that dog is like in a home, which can be very valuable in helping us in finding the right adopter in the future,” Pimentel said.
“Five to Thrive” foster opportunities are available at any of the six LAAS services centers, as well as the Best Friends Lifesaving Center in Mission Hills and at more than a dozen NKLA Coalition partners, including Angel City Pit Bulls, Kitty Bungalow, Michelson Found Animals Foundation, and Pacific Pups Rescue.
The center is open daily from noon to 8 p.m., and located at 15321 Brand Blvd., in Mission Hills.