Adoption Ambassadors give pets a temporary home as a gateway to adoption

The Richmond SPCA’s Adoption Ambassadors program gives people in the community an opportunity to foster dogs and place them directly in homes with new owners. The fostering experience is like none other. It is the gateway to a successful adoption.

Shawn and I have been involved in the Adoption Ambassadors program since the beginning of the year and have placed eight dogs in new homes. Fostering is a critical and successful step in the adoption process because it provides information on a dog that may not be available otherwise. Is the dog house trained? Does he get along with other dogs? Any separation anxiety? These questions, and many others, can be answered when a dog is in foster care.

Earlier this year, Grady adopted Rusty who was in foster care with us. When he saw Rusty on the Richmond SPCA’s website and read Rusty’s profile, Grady said, “All the boxes were checked.” In other words, Grady’s questions about house training, leash walking, getting along with other dogs, etc., were answered in Rusty’s profile. He knew Rusty was the dog for him.

Fostering is a rewarding and enriching experience, and the Adoption Ambassadors program is a testament to this. Linley, who adopted Mokie wrote, “Thank you for everything you’ve done for not only Mokie but every dog you’ve cared for while they patiently waited for a forever home. I’m the luckiest girl in the world.” Huan who adopted Max wrote, “Thank YOU for bringing him to my life. I love him so much.”

And then there’s Josh who, along with his wife and daughter, adopted Zeus. He wrote, “Bill and Shawn, I will never be able to thank the two of you enough for what you do. I really feel like Zeus is the reward at the end of a long and difficult journey. I won’t belabor the point, other than to say what an amazing addition he has been to our family over the past month, and I can only imagine the love and compassion you expended to get him to this point. Thank you so much, and please never stop doing what you do.”

If you’re interested in the Adoption Ambassadors program, attend a Meet the Fosters™ training session to become a foster care volunteer.

Bill Riester and his wife Shawn have been volunteering as Richmond SPCA Adoption Ambassadors since early in 2019.