Three Things to Know
Researchers analyzed urine cortisol:creatinine (C/C) levels — a measure of stress — from five U.S. dog sleepover programs, examining levels before, during, and after the sleepovers.
Results indicated that dogs exhibited the lowest stress during sleepovers, with C/C levels returning to baseline afterward. Dogs also experienced the longest periods of uninterrupted rest during these sleepovers. Notably, dogs with multiple sleepover experiences showed reduced overall stress.
The researchers concluded that temporary fostering provides enrichment but may not offer long-term stress reduction. Furthermore, the study revealed lower baseline C/C levels in dogs from certain shelters, suggesting that variations in kennel conditions, enrichment programs, or management practices can effectively minimize stress.
For Dog Welfare Practitioners
Dog sleepover programs, despite their simple setup, provide a valuable tool for stress reduction and promote periods of uninterrupted rest in dogs. Importantly, data indicates that dogs do not experience increased stress upon returning to the shelter, alleviating concerns about welfare during reentry.
Beyond enhancing dog welfare, these programs, along with field trips, also aid in recruiting and training new foster caregivers, thereby strengthening the volunteer pipeline for animal welfare organizations.
The Full Picture
U.S. animal shelters receive millions of dogs annually, with shelter stays becoming increasingly prolonged. These dogs endure significant stressors, such as noise, limited movement, social isolation, and lack of environmental control, all contributing to diminished welfare. Conversely, human interaction is known to mitigate stress.
To address this, short-term fostering, involving temporary home placements, presents a potential avenue for enhancing dog welfare through increased human contact. This study, “Evaluating the effects of a temporary fostering program on shelter dog welfare,” investigates whether brief fostering (1-2 nights) can reduce stress and promote rest compared to standard shelter stays.
Study Methods
To investigate the impact of brief fostering, researchers studied dogs from five U.S. shelters:
- Best Friends Animal Sanctuary (BFAS; May–June 2016)
- Arizona Humane Society (AHS; February–March 2017)
- the Humane Society of Western Montana (HSWM; May 2017)
- DeKalb County Animal Services (DCAS; June 2017), and
- The Society for the Prevention of Cruelty to Animals of Texas (SPCATX; July 2017).
Selected dogs spent one or two nights in foster homes. To assess stress levels, urinary cortisol:creatinine (C/C) ratios were measured from samples collected before, during, and after fostering. Additionally, health-monitoring collars tracked physiological and activity data. The subsequent data analysis aimed to determine if temporary fostering resulted in reduced stress and increased rest compared to shelter stays.
Study Results
Physical Attributes
Across all shelters, dogs with greater body weight consistently showed lower C/C ratios. Additionally, with the exception of one shelter (HSWM), older dogs exhibited higher cortisol levels. Dogs with higher resting pulse rates exhibited increased cortisol levels.
Dog Sleepover Program Impact
Dogs had significantly lower cortisol levels during their sleepovers compared to before and after, but no difference was found between pre- and post-sleepover values. This suggests that while sleepovers temporarily reduce stress, cortisol levels return to baseline upon returning to the shelter.
Data from health-monitoring collars at four shelters revealed that more time spent resting were associated with increased cortisol levels. On the other hand, longer uninterrupted rest periods correlated with lower C/C values. Dogs experienced their longest uninterrupted rest periods during sleepovers, followed by their post-sleepover shelter stay.
Shelter Differences
To explore differences between shelters, cortisol values from before and after sleepovers were analyzed. Significant variation was observed among shelters, with dogs at BFAS having lower cortisol levels than those at AHS, HSWM, and DCAS. Similarly, dogs at SPCATX had significantly lower cortisol than those at AHS. Analysis showed that dogs from shelters with higher initial stress levels benefited the most from fostering, while those with lower baseline cortisol showed smaller reductions.
Notably, at BFAS, where sleepovers were already part of shelter operations, dogs that had previously participated in multiple sleepovers had lower cortisol levels, suggesting a cumulative benefit. Additionally, significant differences in average in-shelter cortisol values were observed across shelters, in some cases exceeding the cortisol reductions associated with sleepovers.
Shelter Differences
The study also revealed significant differences in baseline C/C ratios between shelters, likely due to variations in kennel conditions, enrichment programs, or management practices. These differences were often greater than the reductions achieved through dog sleepover programs, highlighting the potential impact of shelter environments on stress.
Conclusion
The findings of this study support the hypothesis that temporary fostering, or short-term dog sleepover programs in volunteer homes, reduces stress in shelter dogs. During these sleepovers, dogs exhibited significantly lower cortisol:creatinine (C/C) ratios, indicating reduced physiological stress. However, upon returning to the shelter, C/C ratios rebounded to pre-sleepover levels. As such, dog sleepover programs should be viewed primarily as an enrichment tool rather than a long-term intervention for stress reduction in shelter dogs.
Miscellaneous
Data From Study:
–
Year of Publication:
2019
External Link:
Gunter LM, Feuerbacher EN, Gilchrist RJ, Wynne CDL. Evaluating the effects of a temporary fostering program on shelter dog welfare. PeerJ. 2019;7:e6620. Published 2019 Mar 27. https://doi.org/10.7717/peerj.6620