KHS Wins ‘Foster Express Challenge’ from Maddie’s Fund
Thanks to our foster families, the Kentucky Humane Society has won a $5,000 prize from Maddie’s Fund, a national family foundation established by Dave and Cheryl Duffield to revolutionize the status and well-being of companion animals, for having the most shelter animal adoptions of a large organization during Maddie’s Fund’s national Foster Express Challenge.
The Foster Express Challenge focused on short-term fostering of shelter animals (which ranged from two-hour field trips to staying with foster families for one to 14 days) November 22, 2019, through January 10, 2020. This Challenge was designed to help shelters get more dogs and cats out of the shelter during the hectic holiday season, get them more exposure and attract new foster caregivers.
There were 155 organizations that participated in the Foster Express Challenge nationwide. Together over 8,386 dogs and cats went on over 11,319 short-term foster field trips. Of those pets, 5,846 were adopted into permanent homes.
Kentucky Humane Society adopted 168 animals – 97 dogs and 71 cats – which were 86% of KHS pets who spent time in short-term fostering during the Challenge. Louisville community members participated by fostering pets over Thanksgiving, Christmas and New Year’s when the shelter was closed, as well as by taking dogs on field trips through KHS’ “Date with a Dog” program and having “sleepovers” with shelter dogs and cats.
“This award is all due to how our community has embraced short-term foster care. Because of this commitment, Louisvillians not only helped give our dogs and cats a break from the shelter, but also found so many of them permanent homes, and had fun in the process, said Kayla Saylor, KHS Foster Manager. We are so very proud of our community and their deep connection to our pets.”
Learn more about the Challenge
Want to join in the fun? Become a KHS foster caregiver – Visit www.kyhumane.org/foster and help find even more pets a happy home.
About Maddie’s Fund
Maddie’s Fund® is a family foundation created in 1994 by Workday® co-founder Dave Duffield and his wife, Cheryl, who have endowed the Foundation with more than $300 million. Since then, the Foundation has awarded more than $237.6 million in grants toward increased community lifesaving, shelter management leadership, shelter medicine education, and foster care across the U.S. The Duffields named Maddie’s Fund after their Miniature Schnauzer Maddie, who always made them laugh and gave them much joy. Maddie was with Dave and Cheryl for ten years and continues to inspire them today.