The 2024 survey by Maddie's Fund® provides valuable insights into the use of foster care programs for dogs and cats across the United States. The survey reveals continued growth in foster care programs and the number of active foster caregivers. Despite this progress, some organizations face challenges in expanding their foster programs, including difficulties finding suitable foster homes, limited staff resources, funding constraints, and liability concerns.
One of the most notable findings of the 2024 survey is the positive impact of streamlined onboarding processes. Many organizations have become more efficient in onboarding new foster caregivers, significantly reducing wait times. As a result, caregivers can begin fostering more quickly, which is associated with more pets placed in foster care. This focus on efficiency has helped organizations maximize their foster care capacity, providing more animals with temporary homes.
The survey also highlights the influence of foster application requirements on program success. Requirements involving direct, personal evaluations-such as home visits, meeting household members, and meeting household pets - were found to reduce both the number of pets placed in foster care and the number of active caregivers, suggesting that organizations may benefit from carefully evaluating their foster application processes and minimizing time - consuming requirements.
Social media emerged as a critical tool for promoting foster programs and connecting with potential caregivers. Organizations that maintained a strong, consistent presence on social media - specifically on Instagram, Facebook, and TikTok - were more successful in placing pets in foster care. The survey found a clear relationship between higher social media posting frequency and increased foster placements, emphasizing the importance of digital engagement in modern foster care programs.
Overall, the 2024 survey provides a clear picture of the evolving foster care landscape, highlighting the importance of efficient processes and active community engagement. These insights can help organizations strengthen foster care programs, overcome barriers, and provide more animals with safe, temporary homes.