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Australian Dog Lover
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This Christmas, national animal welfare charity and advocacy group Companion Animal Network Australia (Australia CAN or CANA) is urging Australians to open their homes to a foster pet – even for a short time – to help relieve the intense seasonal pressure faced by shelters and rescues across the country.
December is one of the busiest periods of the year for companion animal welfare organisations. More pets need urgent care, while volunteer availability drops and adoption interest slows as families focus on Christmas plans.
Foster Homes Offer a Lifeline
CANA’s member organisations include both traditional shelters and foster-based rescue groups who rely on volunteer carers to provide day-to-day care for animals in need.
CANA CEO Trish Ennis emphasizes the profound impact fostering has:
“Fostering is a simple but powerful way to change a pet’s life. Foster homes are a preferred environment to keeping animals in a shelter, offering consistency and security that some animals have never had. And the experience is deeply rewarding for carers, too!”
With cost-of-living pressures discouraging many families from adopting right now, Ms. Ennis stressed that foster carers have never been more important:
“Fostering offers a meaningful way to help without the long-term financial commitment of adoption.”The Growing Pressures Facing Shelters
CANA’s latest Impact Report (2024/25) reveals the increasing pressures facing shelters and their foster networks that make temporary homes critical right now:
- Dogs Arriving as Strays: 61% of dogs arrive at CANA member organisations as strays, many needing calm, temporary homes until they can be reunited or adopted.
- The Holiday Surge: “The holiday period often brings a wave of lost or displaced dogs. Foster care helps provide stability for these pets at a time when they are at their most vulnerable,” said Trish Ennis.
- Adoptions Falling: Adoptions fell by 17% this year, despite fewer animals entering shelters. “This means more animals are staying in care for longer, placing ongoing pressure on shelters, staff and volunteer foster networks,” Ms. Ennis said.
- Surrenders Persist: Surrenders dropped by only 6%, remaining almost unchanged from last year. “Families continue to struggle with rental challenges, rising living costs and changes in personal circumstances,” said Ms. Ennis.
Case Study: The Man Behind 138 Wagging Tails
Andrew Hutton, an Adelaide local, proves just how transformative fostering can be for both pets and people. Through Scruffer Lovers—a 100% volunteer-run rescue and proud CANA affiliate—Andrew has fostered an incredible 138 dogs over the last 4.5 years.
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| Andrew Hutton with Max the Cavoodle at a Scruffer Lovers adoption event. |
Andrew is motivated by a simple desire to help animals. His own dog, Kiani, a Kelpie cross, was a "foster failure" he adopted: “I connected with her straight away,” he recalls. “She’s beautiful, friendly, great with other dogs… I got attached pretty quickly.” Kiani now plays an important role in helping new foster dogs settle in.
At the moment, Andrew is caring for three foster guests — Max the Cavoodle, Dante the Kelpie cross, and Leia, a Staffy pup recovering well from hip surgery — and they all get along.
Many of the dogs Andrew fosters come from pounds in NSW with difficult or unknown backgrounds. He takes them on daily walks, socialises them, helps them rebuild trust, and guides them from fear to confidence.
For Andrew, the transformation is life-changing:
“It gives me a purpose,” he says. After a stroke in 2012 and challenges with depression, fostering has become a grounding part of his life. “To see a scared dog turn into one full of confidence who loves people, it’s fantastic. Very rewarding.”Andrew fosters each dog until they find their forever home, often driving five hours each way to collect dogs from rural pounds. He speaks highly of the support Scruffer Lovers provides, from covering vet bills and supplying food to helping with fuel for transport.
Andrew's advice for those worried about starting? “If you have patience and time, you’ll be OK.” His home—always open to wagging tails—proves the immense difference one person can make.
Why Fostering is Accessible and Rewarding
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| Foster a senior dog and change a life. (Photo by Barnabas Davoti) |
For those wondering if they can realistically foster, CANA highlights that it is designed to be accessible:
- Costs Covered: Pet food, medication, and vet care are covered by CANA member organisations.
- Flexibility: "Even short-term or holiday placements, whether a week, a weekend or just overnight, can make a significant difference to a pet and the rescue supporting them,” Ms Ennis explains.
Top Reasons to Foster a Pet This Christmas:
✔️ Costs are Covered: Pet food, medication, and vet care are covered by CANA member organisations.
✔️ It’s a Compassionate Act: Thousands of pets rely on foster homes each year.
✔️ Pets Thrive Outside Shelters: Pets benefit enormously from time outside the shelter environment.
✔️ Companionship Without Commitment: If you've recently lost a pet, fostering offers companionship without long-term commitment.
✔️ A Trial Run for Ownership: For first-time pet households, fostering is a great way to explore what pet ownership looks like.
✔️ Socialisation: For families with existing pets, fostering can help animals become socialised and confident.
Can’t Foster? You Can Still Help
If fostering isn’t possible this year, Australians can still make a vital difference by donating to CANA to help member agencies manage the seasonal surge in animals needing care.
“For those unable to foster a pet, a donation to CANA helps fund the vital work of our member organisation, supporting them with essentials like food, veterinary treatment and emergency care during the busiest time of year,” said Ms Ennis.
✔️ It’s a Compassionate Act: Thousands of pets rely on foster homes each year.
✔️ Pets Thrive Outside Shelters: Pets benefit enormously from time outside the shelter environment.
✔️ Companionship Without Commitment: If you've recently lost a pet, fostering offers companionship without long-term commitment.
✔️ A Trial Run for Ownership: For first-time pet households, fostering is a great way to explore what pet ownership looks like.
✔️ Socialisation: For families with existing pets, fostering can help animals become socialised and confident.
Can’t Foster? You Can Still Help
If fostering isn’t possible this year, Australians can still make a vital difference by donating to CANA to help member agencies manage the seasonal surge in animals needing care.
“For those unable to foster a pet, a donation to CANA helps fund the vital work of our member organisation, supporting them with essentials like food, veterinary treatment and emergency care during the busiest time of year,” said Ms Ennis.
“Together, we can give vulnerable cats and dogs the comfort and compassion they deserve this festive season.”
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| A Heart for Every Dog - Dekota & Finn with Mal the Greyhound |
Fostering for Dogs' Homes of Tasmania gives Dekota and her housemates a source of "connection, purpose, and laughter". See how they help dogs of all needs and read Dekota's full story here
How to Start Fostering Today
If you are considering fostering a pet, contact your local animal shelter or rescue organisation today.
Find a Foster Program via a CANA Member:
- Dogs’ Homes of Tasmania (TAS)
- Scruffer Lovers (SA)
- Ginger Ninja Rescue (SA)
About Companion Animal Network Australia (Australia CAN or CANA)
Companion Animal Network Australia (Australia CAN or CANA) is a registered charity representing the companion animal welfare work of our member agencies across the country, including Animal Welfare League QLD, Lort Smith (VIC), Sydney Dogs and Cats Home, Dogs’ Homes of Tasmania and Saving Animals From Euthanasia Inc (WA). Together, our members provide rescue, shelter, re-homing, fostering, health care and enrichment services to more than 50,000 animals every year. Through national campaigns, partnerships and initiatives, we celebrate the human-animal bond and promote responsible pet ownership. We use our national voice to campaign for the humane treatment of all companion animals and we rally support for programs that deliver high welfare standards. We also lobby governments to drive change and preserve the bond between humans and their animals. Australia CAN celebrates the human-animal bond and promotes responsible pet ownership through national campaigns, partnerships and initiatives, including the Rent with Pets and Pets in Aged Care programs. To discover more, visit www.australiacan.org.au
