Williamson County Regional Animal Shelter (WCRAS) is teaming up with national nonprofit Petco Love and Skechers with its BOBS from Skechers philanthropic footwear collection, to put the focus on the fun in fostering pets. Pet fostering is lifesaving and critical for animal shelters, particularly during the busy summer season.

“Ending preventable euthanasia of shelter pets is possible today,” said Susanne Kogut, president of Petco Love. “Data tells us that if we could encourage 2% more of the 85 million pet-owning households to foster just one pet a year, we can eliminate preventable euthanasia and save the lives of the 800,000 shelter animals at risk of euthanization in the U.S. annually.”   

But fostering can be serious fun, too.

Throughout June, Petco Love will work with its network of partners nationwide to share the fun aspects of fostering while helping pet parents groove through their foster pet goodbyes. In fact, saying goodbye to foster pets – and the fear they’ll struggle giving the pet to a new family – is among the most-cited reasons why pet parents don’t foster.

Petco Love is taking a humorous approach to saying goodbye to foster pets by holding a #MyFosterBreakUp story contest featuring Foster Breakup Kits giveaways and a curated playlist to help foster pet parents through their goodbyes.

Kits include breakup essentials: cozy, festive socks from BOBS from Skechers, a pint of Ben & Jerry’s Ice Cream, Kleenex, the official Petco Love Foster Breakup Spotify Playlist, and a foster tee that reminds you that “Foster Pets are Here for A Fun Time, Not a Long Time.” Foster parents can enter to win by sharing their breakup letter from their foster pet on Instagram using the hashtag #MyFosterBreakUp throughout the month of June and even win $10,000 in lifesaving funds for the organization they foster from.

WCRAS will also join shelters nationwide for the National Foster Pet Open House event by inviting the public to visit the shelter located at 1855 SE Inner Loop on Saturday, June 25, from 2 to 4 p.m. for an interactive foster meet-and-greet party for two-and four-legged friends.

The Open House will have experienced fosters on hand to help answer any questions about fostering and give you their personal perspectives on what a rewarding experience it is.

“Fostering for WCRAS is a vital part of our lifesaving mission," said Misty Valenta, Animal Services Director. “Through our partnership with Petco Love, we’re excited to take part in National Foster a Pet Month and build on this event’s positive momentum to help save more lives year-round.”

Establishing June as National Foster a Pet Month to increase participation in fostering is just one of the lifesaving actions led by Petco Love in their 23-year history of helping pets, with $330 million invested in lifesaving efforts and 6.5 million pets adopted – and counting. Skechers has contributed more than $8 million to help over 1.5 million shelter pets, including saving 1.1 million rescued pets in the United States and Canada.

The nonprofit also recently launched a new national database, Petco Love Lost, which uses pet facial recognition technology to help reunite missing pets with their families.

To learn more about WCRAS and their upcoming event, please visit wilcopets.org.

To learn about Petco Love and to view foster resources, visit petcolove.org/foster and join the conversation on Facebook, Twitter and Instagram using #PetcoLoveFoster.

For more on BOBS from Skechers, visit BOBSfromSkechers.com.