< The Latest 2025-05-30T20:25:47+0000
The Pasadena Star-News | Fri 05/30 01:25pm PST | Chris Ramon
In late April 2024, a 5-year-old husky mix wandered into a front yard in a residential area of Pasadena. The homeowner brought him to Pasadena Humane, hoping he would quickly reunite with his family.
The dog had a microchip, but sadly, it was a dead end. Based on the contact information linked to the chip, no owner could be found, but we did learn the dog’s name — Lucky.
Lucky turned out to be an easy-going dog. He loved meeting new people and enjoyed hanging out in staff offices. He eagerly ran to the front of his kennel when asked, “Do you want to go for a walk?”—a clue to the happy life he must have led before.
Despite his great personality, adopters overlooked Lucky for nearly a month. That all changed thanks to an innovative short-term foster program we launched last year — Doggie Speed Dating.
Here’s how it works: One week before a major adoption event, we try to get as many dogs into foster homes as possible. We transform our training room into speed dating central, where dogs are stationed with volunteer handlers. Event attendees can move around the room for quick meet-and-greets with each dog.
If there’s a match, you’re officially a foster—right then and there—and the dog heads to their temporary home the same day. Our foster team is on hand to answer questions and send the dogs out with everything they need.
One week later, the dog returns to the shelter ahead of the big adoption event. By then, the pup’s foster parents have had time to get to know their temporary houseguest.
Lucky matched with a foster volunteer during our first-ever Doggie Speed Dating event last May. We quickly learned he had great house manners. He was mellow, with bursts of playful energy. He was also housebroken.
With that knowledge, Lucky quickly found a home during our big adoption event. In fact, he was one of the first dogs adopted that morning.
Lucky is an excellent example of how fostering leads to more adoptions. When a foster parent opens their home—even for just a week—we gain valuable insight into the dog’s behavior in a home setting.
Fostering allows us to answer some of the most commonly asked adopter questions: How does this dog do around kids and other animals? Can they be crate-trained? How do they behave on walks?
The more we know about a dog in a home, the better we can support them—and their future family—through the transition.
When someone fosters, whether for a weekend or long term, they’re providing an invaluable service to that animal. A short break from the shelter can make a big difference. Some dogs handle the shelter well, but others don’t. That doesn’t mean they won’t thrive in a home.
Sometimes, just filling that temporary gap is what’s needed on an animal’s journey to their new home.Fostering a dog this summer is a powerful way to join us in creating a compassionate community for people and animals. Our foster program provides around-the-clock support, plus all supplies, medical care, and behavior resources.
I hope you’ll join us at our next Doggie Speed Dating event this Sunday, June 1st. We’ll have a bunch of great dogs for you to meet—and hopefully, you’ll find one to take home for a one-week foster stay.
And if you’re ready for a more permanent commitment, our first Free Adoption Day of the year is coming up on Saturday, June 7, as part of California Adopt-a-Pet Day. We’ll be waiving the adoption fees for all available animals.
Chris Ramon is interim president and CEO of Pasadena Humane. pasadenahumane.org