When “Forever Foster” Doesn’t Have to Mean Forever
Marilyn Wheaton
One of my favorite client stories comes from Rattie Ratz Rescue in California. Coming from a sheltering background myself, one of the most rewarding parts of my job is seeing shelters and rescues become more successful when they have software that makes their work easier.
Like many rescues that care for less common domestic pets, this organization had several rats considered “forever fosters.” These weren't necessarily animals that couldn't be adopted. They simply needed experienced adopters who understood their unique needs and could give them the best possible lives. For smaller rescues, finding enough of those adopters can be a real challenge.
After the rescue began using AnimalsFirst to manage their animals and promote their adoptable rats, something wonderful happened. They started reaching a much larger pool of potential adopters, including people with the experience and knowledge these special rats needed. The rescue connected with so many qualified adopters that some of their “forever fosters” ultimately found forever homes of their own.
That's exactly the kind of outcome we love to see, and it speaks to something important about how we've built AnimalsFirst.
We believe every species deserves the same level of attention, care, and support from the software used to manage them. While most shelter software is built primarily around dogs and cats, with other species often treated as an afterthought, AnimalsFirst takes a different approach. Whether an organization cares for dogs, cats, rats, rabbits, guinea pigs, birds, reptiles, or other animals, our platform is designed to support them equally.
That means organizations caring for less common species shouldn't have to settle for limited functionality or workarounds. They deserve the same powerful tools for managing animal records, applications, adoptions, communications, and promoting adoptable animals as any dog or cat rescue.
Ultimately, that's why we built AnimalsFirst. Rescue and shelter staff have incredibly important work to do, regardless of the species they serve. Their software should make their lives easier, not harder. Our goal is to simplify the day-to-day work so staff and volunteers can spend more time doing what matters most: caring for animals and helping them find the right homes.
The story of those rats is a great reminder that every animal deserves a chance, and sometimes the difference between a forever foster and a forever home is simply finding the right person.
We're proud that AnimalsFirst can help make those connections possible, for animals of every species.
