A hotel in D’Iberville, Mississippi allows its guests to foster and adopt dogs during their stay.
Home2 Suites by Hilton Biloxi North/D’Iberville launched its Fostering Hope program in October 2018.
In partnership with the Humane Society of South Mississippi, the hotel takes in one dog at a time.
Fostering Hope gives guests the opportunity to care for the dog during their stay. Guests are able to adopt the rescue pup when they checkout.
Teresa Johnston, the hotel’s sales director, conceived the idea for the program.
“We’re an extended-stay Hilton branded property. We have a lot of extended-stay guests … I could see that our guests were lonely, and I wanted to fill a void for them and at the same time help our community,” she told The Mind Unleashed.
More than 60 dogs have found a home since the program’s inception. The hotel has currently paused the program due to the coronavirus pandemic. It will resume once the outbreak clears.
Surge In Pet Adoptions Amid Coronavirus Crisis
Countless schools and workplaces across the country have shut down due to the recent COVID-19 coronavirus outbreak.
Many animal shelters say this has prompted a surge in animal adoptions and fostering across the country, as people look for companionship during times of social-distancing and self-isolation.
Matt Bershadker—president and chief executive of the American Society for the Prevention of Cruelty to Animals—says he is thrilled to see a surge in companion animal adoptions.
“There’s no question that animals provide incredible comfort and companionship, especially during times of crisis,” Bershadker told the Washington Post.
He added: “They certainly appreciate the attention—so we encourage people to continue to adopt or temporarily foster animals in need.”
Animal shelters that have been forced to close due to the pandemic are urging the public to adopt a rescue.
“Right now people have the time to give pets the love and attention they deserve,” Diane Johnson—shelter operations vice president at North Shore Animal League America—told ABC News.
“Being home gives people the chance to bond with their animal and normally we don’t always have the time. If you’re thinking about adopting, I urge you to consider doing so soon,” she added.
