The Humane Society of St. Lucie County has been recognized as one of the nation's top-performing animal shelters in Best Friends Animal Society's 2026 Foster Forward Challenge, earning a $10,000 grant for expanding its foster program and helping more pets find homes.
The monthlong challenge encouraged animal shelters across the country to increase the number of pets placed in foster homes. During the challenge, the Humane Society placed 177 animals, including 153 cats and 24 dogs, into foster care, an increase of 154 animals over the same period last year. The shelter also recruited 39 new foster caregivers, and 12 foster families helped their foster pets find permanent homes.
Shannon Glendinning, the Humane Society's director of development, said the challenge gave the organization an opportunity to improve its foster program while engaging the community.
"I think it's truly a testament to what can happen when the community comes together to impact animal lives right here. We saw it as a way to challenge ourselves, to implement new practices into our foster program. Fostering is one of the best ways to get animals out of shelters and create more space, especially during the summer months, which is when we need that space the most," Glendinning said.
The $10,000 grant will help the shelter continue providing supplies and resources to foster families, removing financial barriers for people willing to temporarily care for an animal.
"If you need bowls, litter, dog food, cat food, medical care, blankets, towels, pee pads, whatever you need to welcome that pet temporarily into your home, we will absolutely make sure to provide for you," Glendinning said. "And so this funding to help us keep doing that is amazing and we're beyond grateful so that we can continue to push for new people to welcome pets into their home. It can be intimidating at first to take on a temporary pet, but the reward from it, you get to love this animal until it's ready for its next home."
Glendinning said foster homes also provide valuable insight into an animal's personality and behavior, helping shelters better match pets with potential adopters.
"We learn so much about the pet while they're in foster. We learn their likes, their dislikes, how well are they potty trained? What are they like at a home? Obviously we love on them every single day and learn so much at the shelter, but having them in a home, you get a whole different perspective and you get to tell us that perspective," she said. "Fosters get to do all of that. They can show people, this is what a pet's like in a home. And it's a whole different type of photo and video that you get that people can picture more naturally when they're looking to adopt."
The shelter plans to build on the momentum from the Foster Forward Challenge by expanding its foster program and recruiting more families to provide temporary homes for pets in need.
For those interested in fostering but unsure about making a longer commitment, Glendinning said the shelter offers ways to ease into the experience.
"It's the most rewarding thing you'll do. You will forever make an impact on that pet. God forbid you're nervous of it, do our doggy day out program or do a weekend sleepover, see how it goes," she said. "You could check a pet out for the day, for the weekend and really just see how that fits in your life. Is it something you're capable of doing? Once you do it, I think you'll realize it's a lot easier than you think because we're right there along with you."