The shelter, located on Webster Street in Dayton, has seen a decrease in intake of animals in recent years, as new procedures and partnerships have people rehoming their animals or connecting with rescues. But the need for fostering and adoption is still strong in Montgomery County, Bohardt said.
The resource center estimates that more than 140,000 dogs live among people in Montgomery County. The animal resource center has space for less than 1% of that population with kennels for 79 medium-to-large dogs and 40 small dogs.
As of this week, roughly 40 of the shelter’s 90 dogs are available for fostering or adoption. The county has 24 people signed up to foster through the animal resource center.
Human interaction is crucial for dogs that come into the resource center and hope to one day be adopted, Bohardt said.
“In the shelter, there’s so many unfamiliar sights and sounds for dogs, and that can be very stressful,” she said. “Moving to a foster home allows dogs time to decompress in a space that is quiet and comfortable.”
Fostering also increases a dog’s social skills and allows the shelter to give more details about a dog’s ability to live among other animals and people to potential adopters.
People older than 18 are eligible to foster dogs at the shelter. People fill out an application, attend an orientation and then work with the resource center to select a dog.
The animal resource center generally looks for fosters to help with puppies, dogs that are having a difficult time adjusting to the shelter, or those in need of medical respite, but is open to help for any of their dogs in need, Bohardt said.
Some obstacles exist for the resource center’s foster program, which began in 2020. Many people cannot look after animals that fall under the breed umbrella of pitbulls or pit-mixes due to housing restrictions. The shelter commonly sees dogs in this category and is working with specialized rescues.
The Montgomery County Animal Resource Center supplies foster caregivers with crates, dog food and other supplies and covers the cost of veterinarian care.
“We really just need people who are willing and interested, who have time and the home to give to dogs,” Bohardt said.
What’s next?
Montgomery County residents can call the animal resource center at 937–264-5462 with questions about fostering. The resource center’s application to foster can be found online.
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