NEW CASTLE, DE.— The Brandywine Valley SPCA (BVSPCA) announced today that the organization is looking for families to host shelter pets for holiday sleepovers. The sleepovers consist of a short-term foster arrangement in which a dog or cat currently available for adoption at one of the BVSPCA’s shelters stays with a family temporarily for a duration of a few days up to a week.
“This is a great opportunity for families staying home over the holidays to give a homeless dog or cat a much needed break from the shelter,” said Walt Fenstermacher, BVSPCA Senior Director of Operations. “Sleepovers have been shown to reduce stress for shelter animals, and we also learn more about the pet’s personality in a more natural environment.”
This is the second year the BVSPCA is offering holiday sleepovers. Last year’s pilot program sleepovers resulted in more than 30 homeless pets spending the holidays with a family. The BVSPCA hopes to far exceed that number in this second year of the program so as many homeless pets as possible can experience the love of a family over the holidays.
The BVSPCA offers two sleepover options:
- Santa Sleepover: Pickup Dec. 20-23, Return: Dec. 26-30
- Winter Break: Pickup Dec. 20-23, Return: Jan 2-5
Families interested in hosting a shelter pet for a sleepover can sign up at bvspca.org/sleepover. The BVSPCA will work with each family to match the shelter pet to a particular home’s situation when it comes to factors such as other animals and children.
