Episode 126 of The Best Friends Podcast spotlights Gateway Pet Guardians’ Unicorn Foster Squad, a program created to address the shortage of foster homes for dogs with behavioral challenges. The September 1, 2022 episode is a rebroadcast featuring Gateway adoption and foster manager Brittany Fleming; it describes support for both the dogs and the people fostering them.
What is the Unicorn Foster Squad?
Gateway Pet Guardians, based in East St. Louis, Illinois, developed the program because it was difficult to find foster homes for dogs with behavioral challenges. The organization says a shelter can be stressful for dogs, and stress may contribute to behaviors that make finding a placement harder. Its approach is to help foster caregivers as well as the dogs in their care.
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Gateway describes that help as emotional, educational, and technical support. Its 2021 account also says the program helped Gateway assist other animal-welfare organizations around the country as they assembled foster programs. These are the organization’s descriptions; the available sources do not report a measured impact, success rate, or detailed curriculum.
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1Repair Windows errors before they cause bigger problems2Scan for outdated or missing drivers - takes under a minute3Clear out junk files and repair common Windows errorsWho is Brittany Fleming?
The episode features Brittany Fleming, whom Best Friends identifies as Gateway Pet Guardians’ adoption and foster manager. Her profile says she had worked with Gateway since 2015, specialized in behavior dogs, and oversaw animal placement in foster homes.
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In her Best Friends profile—not a verified transcript of the episode—Fleming says: “Seeing dogs progress from shy, scared or aggressive to confident, happy and social means everything to me and it’s why I love to give every animal a chance, no matter how they act on intake.”
What resources does the episode point to?
Best Friends’ episode page lists Gateway’s Unicorn Foster Program along with resources on big-dog training, enrichment, shelter-dog enrichment, kennel enrichment, a Dogs Playing for Life manual, and marketing tips. The list offers places to explore further; it does not establish a specific treatment method or a prescribed program for every dog.
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Enrichment toys may be one optional resource for a foster dog, but a toy is not a treatment for behavioral challenges, and the episode does not test or endorse any product. Ask the rescue or shelter what is appropriate for the individual dog before introducing toys or activities.
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What did the episode say about grants?
The September 1, 2022 rebroadcast coincided with the opening of a proposal period for a Rachael Ray Save Them All grant. The episode page says Gateway’s Unicorn Foster Squad had received funding in an earlier cycle; Gateway’s 2021 article credits Rachael Ray Foundation support with helping it assist other organizations building foster programs. These are historical references, not confirmation of a current application window, eligibility rules, or available funding. Anyone seeking a grant should consult the grant program’s current official information.
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Episode details
- Episode: 126, “Unicorn Foster Squad (rebroadcast)”
- Published: September 1, 2022
- Length: 21 minutes, according to Apple Podcasts
- Guest: Brittany Fleming, Gateway Pet Guardians’ adoption and foster manager
Listen or read more on Best Friends Animal Society’s episode page. Gateway’s earlier account is “The Best Friends Podcast Episode 68 – Unicorn Foster Squad Program”.
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- Harness Object: The Rear Legs support Harness is designed to help your elderly, disabled, or injured dog, who are unable to navigate the stairs, has a difficult time getting up and down, needs help walking and at any risk of falling
- Lifesaver: The dog carrying harness can pick up the rear end of your fur friend, moderate hip pain and injury caused by aging, support them getting in and out of the car, help them get up from lying down, stabilize both the gait and spine
- Postoperative Rehabilitation: This Hip lifter is a helpful rehabilitation strap to help your furry pug who are post-op surgery of knee, CCL (ACL), TPLO, hip replacement and so on. The back saver harness assist your dog while recovering from surgery
- Soft and Durable: Inside contains soft plush material，the dog lift harness is very fluffy and protect dogs' belly. The dog sling outer cove with oxford fabric. Our fabric is durable and won't expire easily and typically usable for up to 5 years
- Easy to Use: The portable dog lift support harness is great with the padded handles, so its cushion works great for all dog owners can give your dog a assist lifting with easy. It is washable and easy to carry or storage with drawstring bag
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