The fastest way to place more pets is usually to remove friction from the processes you already run. Make it easier for people to adopt, easier for them to foster, and easier for the community to see which animals need homes. Best Friends Animal Society built a live discussion on this idea, Place More Pets Now With These Easy Changes. It is aimed at shelters and rescue groups, not pet owners. The panel covered open adoptions and fostering, with advice on breaking down barriers so that “your entire community” can take part. This article turns that framing, plus Best Friends’ related guides and data, into changes you can assess in your own organization.
What the resource is, and what it is not
The session is a Best Friends Animal Society discussion moderated by Tawny Hammond, Director of No Kill Advancement at Best Friends. The panelists were:
- Heather Owen, Executive Director and Co-Founder, One Tail at a Time
- Lawrence Nicolas, President, Jacksonville Humane Society
- Misha Goodman, Animal Care Services Director, Bernalillo County Animal Care and Resource Center
- Dawn Binion-Stewart, Director of Diversity, Equity, Inclusion, and Belonging, Best Friends
The page’s own summary is: “Sometimes, we need to go back to the basics, like making it as easy as possible for people to adopt from or foster with you!” That is Best Friends’ description of the session, not a quote from a panelist. The ideas below come from the page’s written description and from Best Friends’ separately published guides and data report. They are not a transcript of what each speaker said, and none of them is a requirement. Treat each as a hypothesis to test against your own community and animals.
Start by finding where people drop out
Before changing anything, walk the path an adopter or foster applicant takes, from first look at a listing to the animal leaving your care. Note each point where a suitable person could stall or give up. Then compare changes using these questions:
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- Which specific barrier does it remove?
- Does it help adopters, foster caregivers, or both?
- How much staff time or support does it need?
- Does it work across language and identification differences?
- What level of care does your animal population need?
- Which local number should move if it works (foster participation, placements, length of stay)?
Best Friends’ guides give examples of practices but do not rank them, so this local filter matters more than any universal order.
Make adoption easier to access
Offer applications and support in more languages
Best Friends’ 2024 guide suggests multilingual applications and customer support. If part of your community cannot read your forms or reach someone who can answer questions, those people are effectively screened out before anyone evaluates them as adopters.
Rank #2
- Adopt a Dog Party Favors Set: Package includes 12pcs plush dogs with cute party hats and 12pcs paper house. For best adoption and endless fun, the product provides 12pcs adoption certificates, 10pcs 8in fence and collar making, dog house decor, health check-up accessories.
- Plentiful Plush Puppies: Crafted from quality cotton material with soft fillers, these plush dogs are smooth and comforting. Each small stuffed animal measures approximately 4 inches in height, making them portable and lightweight.
- Personalized Puppy Adoption: To enhance interaction, you can name your dog and make a collar, decorate the dog house with 12pcs paint brushes and 50pcs stickers, allowing for a unique puppy that reflects creativity and love for animals.
- Educational Role Playing Tool: Foster empathy and responsibility by signing the included adoption certificates and health check-up supplies. Use these plush animals to teach about compassion towards pets and the importance of adoption.
- Perfect for Various Occasions: Ideal for puppy parties, pet-themed showers, birthdays, or outdoor gatherings, this adoption set adds charm and joy while encouraging guests to cherish and protect our furry companions.
Widen what counts as acceptable ID
The same guide points to accepting more forms of identification, or relaxing ID requirements. Ask what your ID rule is meant to accomplish. If a requirement shuts out people who could give an animal a good home, consider whether another form of verification serves the same purpose.
Let foster caregivers help promote the animals
The guide also encourages foster caregivers to write pet bios, take photos and videos, and share them on social media. Its reasoning is that caregivers may reach community members your staff do not. This is a suggested workflow. Not every foster has the time or wants to do marketing, so make it an invitation and provide simple templates.
Rank #3
- Adopt a Puppy PET Party Favors: this puppy adoption party supplies set includes 24 collars, 24 ID cards, and 2 pens; With 50 pieces in total, you have ample supplies to organize an impressive adoption event or simply enjoy a fun filled creative session with friends and family
- Adjustable Fit: easily adjustable from 6.7 inches to 10.2 inches, these puppy collars ensure a snug and comfortable fit for most puppies and kittens; This versatile sizing ensures that your pet friends have the ideal accessory, regardless of their size
- PET Party Supplies: ideal for a variety of occasions, these dog collars can be applied as delightful additions to gift bags, Christmas stockings, or carnival prizes; Their lightweight and smooth design make them ideal for use in any pet gathering or festive celebration
- DIY Party Set: create unique, personalized dog necklaces with ease! These adopt a puppy party favors offer the freedom to design customized accessories for your pets, making them ideal for adoption parties, birthday festivities, or simply showcasing your creative flair
- Versatile Themed Use: the colorful and bright style of this adopt a pet party favors set is not limited to dog parties alone; It's also ideal for kitten gatherings, pet snack parties, jungle animal events, or even farm animal themed occasions, offering wide ranging applicability
Build foster capacity with easier entry points
Best Friends’ June 2026 guide, written for a challenge it ran, lists several ways to lower the barrier to fostering. These are examples from that guide, not standards every group must meet:
- Pop-up orientations held where people already are, instead of only at the shelter.
- Same-day foster opportunities for people who are ready now.
- Multilingual foster support.
- Fewer process hurdles, such as home or landlord checks. Adapt your safeguards to your animals and local conditions rather than dropping them wholesale.
- Specialized training and support for high-need animals, so those pets are not left out of foster programs.
- Short-term and foster-to-adopt options for people who are unsure about a longer commitment.
These options help in different ways. Short-term and same-day fostering suit hesitant first-timers. Specialized support suits the animals who wait longest. Pick the one that matches the gap you actually see.
Rank #4
- Adoption Dog Gift Pack: 163 Pet party adoption sets include 24 dog house-shaped gift boxes, 24 dog tags, 2 adoption labels, 100 colorful twisty sticks, 12 colorful mini highlighters, and 1 box of beaded accessories; The abundant quantity and rich styles offer you a wide range of choices for your dog-themed activities, meeting your usage needs
- Appropriate size The size of the dog paper box is 3.94 x 4.72 x 7 inch /10 x 12 x 18 cm; The size of the dog tag is 1.2 inch /3 cm; The size of the adoption mark is 9.8 inch x 7.9 inch /25×20 cm; The size of the twist stick is 11.8 inch /30 cm; The highlighter is 3.4 inch /8.7 cm in size; It is compact, lightweight and easy to carry
- Outstanding Materials: the dog gift box is made of cardboard, which is strong and stable; The side opening design is practical and convenient; The dog tag is made of wood chips, which is light and not easy to deform; The adoption logo is made of paper; The twist stick is made of polyester material; The DIY beads and fluorescent pens are made of plastic material; Materials provide long-term service for your party
- Exquisite Style: our pet adoption party sets offer novel ideas for DIY handicrafts and painting for dog party decorations; Colorful beads provide ample options for making unique and personalized dog necklaces; Highlighters add bright colors to DIY exquisite dog gift boxes and dog tags, making them perfect for pet parties, birthday parties, dog-themed events, and more
- Wide Application: these dog party decorations are a great way for you to create inspiring party decorations with your friends and family, bringing unforgettable party memories to you and your guests; They are perfect for various occasions such as puppy adoption parties, dog-themed parties, birthdays, weddings, outdoor gatherings, etc., and also make a special commemorative gift for your family and friends
Market across several channels
Best Friends’ 2023 National Data Report recommends attractive photos and complete listings on pet-adoption platforms such as Petfinder and Adopt-a-Pet, along with more varied marketing overall. The report also shows why you should not rely on one channel. Citing American Pet Products Association research on pet acquisition in 2023–2024, it found word of mouth was the leading way owners learned a pet was available across generations and pet types, except Gen Z dog owners. Social media peaked at 19% for Gen Z dog owners and 25% for Millennial cat owners. Those figures describe how people learned about a pet, not how many adopted.
Do not read this as “social media doesn’t work.” The report notes the data cannot say whether the pattern reflects the channel’s effectiveness or how organizations use it. A practical reading: complete listings and strong photos for online searchers, plus easy ways for happy adopters, fosters, and volunteers to share animals with people they know.
Best Value
- Adoption Party Supplies: you will receive 1041 pieces of adopt a pet party DIY accessories, including 1 triangular stand sign, 500 colorful alphabet beads, 300 candy colored round beads, 200 dog shaped beads and 40 mixed color twist rods, sufficient quantity to satisfy your party preparation and DIY demands
- Suitable Size: the triangular stand sign measures 20 x 13 cm/7.9 x 5.1 inches; Each twist rod is 30 cm/11.8 inches long; The hole diameter of the dog‑shaped beads is customized to 2.5 to 3 mm, and the holes are horizontally oriented for easy stringing, making them ideal DIY supplies for pet adoption stations
- Puppy Adoption Party Supplies: these beads feature a smooth surface and lightweight design, easy to thread and assemble; You can make adorable collars for stuffed toys, small pets or handmade pendants; They also work well as goodie bag fillers, carnival prizes, party gifts and small event giveaways
- PET Party DIY Kit: with vibrant assorted colors and diverse bead styles, this kit supports personalized handmade creations; It is ideal for puppy adoption parties, pet birthday celebrations, DIY craft activities, handmade projects and family craft time
- Widely Applications: bright colors and diverse styles make these dog house party favor box party supplies highly versatile; They are perfectly suitable for dog‑themed birthday parties, kitten adoption events, pet themed parties, jungle animal parties, farm animal parties and other festive handmade occasions
Numbers that show why this matters
All figures below come from Best Friends’ 2023 National Data Report and carry their original limits:
| Figure | What it measures | Caveat |
|---|---|---|
| 26% lower | Municipal dog return-to-home rate, 2023 versus 2019 | A return-to-home comparison, not an adoption result |
| 4+ extra days (dogs), 2+ extra days (cats) | Increase in length of stay since 2021 | Based on a sample of shelters and rescues using 24PetHealth services |
| 6% more families | Additional share of American families choosing adoption over purchase that Best Friends estimates is needed to close the lifesaving gap | Best Friends’ own estimate, not an independent national statistic |
Longer stays tie up kennel space and foster homes, which is why smoother pathways matter. These are dated, sampled measures and not guarantees for any one shelter.
Measure your own results
The report stresses relating action to your own save rate, intake, and outcomes. Track placements, length of stay, foster participation, return-to-home, and intake before and after each change, and change one thing at a time where you can. The report also points to the Shelter Pet Data Alliance as a way to compare your organization with others.
Quick Recap
Product prices and availability are accurate as of the date/time indicated and are subject to change. Any price and availability information displayed on Amazon at the time of purchase will apply.
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