Introducing Your Foster Dog to a Stranger Introducing your foster dog to a stranger in your home can be fun and easy; some dogs however might be a little shy…
Read MoreWelcome to We Foster Dogs!
Join Our Community of Fosters Making a Difference
We believe that fostering a pet is not just about providing a temporary home—it’s about saving lives and creating lifelong memories. As a temporary pet parent of a wonderful, loving Memphis Shelter dog (or pup), you have the unique opportunity to make a significant impact in your community by becoming a foster parent. By providing a temporary home for a dog that just needs a second chance, you are helping your community by reducing the number of innocent stray dogs.
URGENT BULLETIN FROM MEMPHIS ANIMAL SERVICES:
FOSTERS & ADOPTERS NEEDED
The City Council and citizens of Memphis are anxious for MAS to re-open for dog intake, and perhaps some of you are also. In consultation with veterinarians and academics, we feel that we cannot safely open to dog intake until we reduce the number of dogs on-site by 150 dogs (tonight, we’re at 239 dogs). If we don’t do this, then the flood of dogs expected once dog intake is reopened would take us right back to crisis population levels in just a few days (not even a week). We cannot allow that to happen, so we must get our in-house numbers down & quickly.
We desperately need your help to reach our urgent goal of getting 150 dogs out of the shelter by the end of the week without having to resort to euthanasia. But we are not asking you to bear the whole burden. We are promoting this initiative across social media, hoping to increase visibility and hit our target. Most dog rooms officially reopen to the public on Tuesday, February 4.
At this point, we have sorted our dogs into 3 population groups:
“CDV cleared” dogs – these 30 available dogs are CDV-negative but have tested positive for the protective antibodies. They have a “CDV cleared” attribute on their profiles, and they do not require any quarantine measures. These dogs are available for adoption, MAS foster, and rescue pull. Most cleared dogs are in Dog E which is fully open to the public. To see the other cleared dogs, people must be escorted by staff to Dog C, Dog D, and Puppy ISO because these rooms also contain dogs from the 3rd category below. *** All of the “cleared” dogs now have photos and content uploaded. Janet worked really hard on Saturday, and a dedicated volunteer came into today to finish up.***
“Fresh” dogs – these 64 available dogs came in after CDV was detected & quarantine measures were put into place. To the best of our knowledge & ability, these dogs have never been exposed. These dogs are available for adoption, MAS foster, and rescue pull. These dogs are in Dog A, Dog B, Dog F, and Dog J/Moms. Dog A & Dog B are fully open to the public now. Dog J/Moms (9 dogs) always requires a staff escort, and Dog F (18 dogs) will require an escort for a couple days until it fully reopens. Dogs on stray wait (18) will be added to this group as their hold expires.
“Exposed & Waiting” dogs – these 51 dogs are still being quarantined due to suspected CDV exposure, and their test results (PCR & antibody titer) are expected to come in during the week. These dogs MUST be quarantined if pulled before they test clear. These dogs can only be seen if escorted by staff. This is necessary to ensure all safety protocols are followed to prevent disease spread. Most dogs are in ACO (20 dogs) and Dog G & H (17 dog), which always require staff escorts. There are a few exposed dogs in Dog C & D and Puppy Iso that can be seen with staff escorts.
The good news is that we’re not starting at zero to get to our goal of 150 dogs – 22 dogs that are “cleared” or “fresh” already have placement – they’ve been adopted or have rescue or foster commitments. These dogs have first priority for spay/neuter surgery this week.
We would greatly appreciate it if you could take a look at all available dogs, starting with the list of cleared dogs sent by Janet this weekend. For your convenience, I’m attaching it again below for anyone who may have missed it.

Puppies:
Zodiac (MASA 43687) – 3-month-old puppy
Roxy (MASA 43974) – 4-month-old puppy
Bamboo (MASA 43934) – 5-month-old puppy
Adult Dogs:
Ajak (MASA 44190) – HW positive. Has lived with other dogs and older kids. High energy, loves cuddles, dislikes fireworks
Bane (MASA 44182) – HW positive. His owner passed away, and now he’s at MAS alone
Nanette (MASA 44369) – No HW test yet. Very sweet girl who loves attention
Mate (MASA 44014) – HW negative. Knows “sit” and “kennel,” good with kids and other dogs
Chenille (MASA 43914) & Georgette (MASA 43896) – Chenille is HW negative and has been adjusting to the shelter with help from ACT staff. Georgette is HW positive. She’s sweet, loves belly rubs, and sometimes hides behind her sister
Blackie (MASA 44003) – HW positive. Tri-colored hound boy
Hernando (MASA 43781) – HW positive. Sweet but needs some manners. High energy and nippy in the kennel
Faith (MASA 43872) – HW positive. Cute little pittie
Ready to Go:
Chi (MASA 43744) – HW positive. Ready to go! A little rough around the edges but will polish up nicely
Stella (MASA 43766) – HW positive with cherry eye. Senior gal. Knows “sit” and “shake!”
Chicken (MASA 44120) – HW negative. Knows “sit” and “shake.” Diagnosed with demodex Has an old pelvic fracture that may need FHO
Olivia (MASA 44061) – HW negative. Brindle shepherd
Roky (MASA 34292) – HW negative. Fluffier guy
Fido Barkley (MASA 44007) – HW negative. Smaller guy
Robin (MASA 44265) – HW negative. Escalating FAS (Fear, Anxiety, Stress)
Jake (MASA 44146) – HW positive
Featured Dogs:
Articia (MASA 43828)

SPRUCE - FOSTER ROCKSTAR
Hi everyone! Meet Spruce, a mixed breed darling! This beauty came to my home yesterday as a foster. He is approximately one year old and about 60 lbs of pure love! I’ve never met such a people’s dog and I have two of my own. Two sweet pups, but Spruce is at another level of an affectionate dog. He’s quiet and only loves to be with his human(s). Unfortunately, he was found with his front left leg broken but MAS has taken care of that and he’s currently in a cast. He spent his first night in my room and only whined lightly when I got up to go to the bathroom.
This precious baby was in line for euthanasia and thanks to the efforts of our dear neighbor, Catherine P. and Ellen from RescueVet, this baby was saved and I’m thoroughly enjoying him now. I don’t understand why this amazing pup was in line for euthanasia other than his broken leg. The world would have missed out on such a special doggy.
I won’t lie, I half envy the ones who will adopt him and have him for good in their lives. This is my first time fostering and rescuing and I wonder why I hadn’t done it before in my life! If you can foster, even for a short time, please consider this precious life so many others like him at the shelters that if someone isn’t motivated to help they just die for lack of space. That’s not a good enough reason to euthanize! I hope that after you see how wonderful my experience is being, you will find it in your heart to offer a helping hand by fostering or adopting one or two of these special souls!!!
I wish you all the best!!!
Your friendly neighbor,
Georgia xx

Why foster?
If you’re thinking about fostering a dog, here are several compelling reasons why you should consider taking this rewarding step:
- Flexibility: Fostering offers a flexible commitment that can fit into any lifestyle. Whether you have a few hours for a foster field trip or a few months for a longer-term stay, we have options that suit your schedule.
- No Long-Term Commitment: Enjoy the companionship of a pet without the long-term commitment. Fostering is perfect for those who love animals but are not ready for a permanent adoption.
- Support and Resources: We provide all necessary supplies and resources, including food, medical care, and training guides, to ensure a smooth fostering experience.

Benefits of Fostering
When you open your home to a pet in need, fostering a dog can bring joy and companionship to various lifestyles:
- Families with Kids: Dogs can teach children responsibility, empathy, and compassion. They also provide endless fun and energy, making them perfect playmates.
- Single Homeowners: A dog can offer companionship and security, making your home feel warmer and more welcoming.
- Couples: Caring for a dog together can strengthen your bond and provide shared experiences and memories.
- Anyone Who Works from Home: Dogs can reduce stress and increase productivity by encouraging regular breaks and physical activity.
Dogs Urgently in Need of Fosters at the Memphis Shelter!
Click to view videos of our dogs on YouTube!
This channel showcases dogs at Memphis Animal Services that are available to foster and adopt. These videos are also on each dog’s profile through the shelter’s website!
Ready to foster and save a life?
Please help these dogs before it's too late!!












Get Involved!
Join a community of compassionate homeowners who are making a difference. By fostering, you are helping to save lives and give pets a second chance at finding their forever homes.
Ready to Make a Difference?
Contact us today to learn more about how you can become a foster parent and help us continue our mission of saving lives in Memphis.
The Benefits of Foster Programs
- Foster reduces pets’ stress levels.
- Pets in foster have improved wellbeing compared to pets in the shelter.
- Organizations can learn more about pets’ personalities while they’re in foster homes.
- Foster placement leads to increases in positive outcomes for pets.
- The pet gets an advocate who often helps market them for adoption and continues to be involved in their life at the shelter.
- The shelter gets information on the pet’s behavior in a home, which can be different than what is seen in the shelter.
- It increases shelter pets’ visibility in the community.
- The opportunity to get great photos of the pet in a home environment and out and about.
- It leads to a quieter shelter, which benefits the staff and resident pets.
- Pets going to foster homes help to open up space at the shelter.
- Pets aren’t exposed to as many pathogens as in a shelter
- Short-term foster options are the “gateway” to more fostering. Not everyone can foster long-term. Short-term programs lower the bar and allow more people to participate in fostering.
- The organization engages with their community in a positive way.
Each dog above is on the critical list, which means they need fosters immediately. If you would like to see all of the dogs available at the shelter, click the link below.
Interested in supporting one of these critical dogs? Your pledge could make a difference!
What is a Pledge?
A pledge is an incentive for a rescue to pull a dog from a shelter. The pledges will go to the rescue for that specific dog’s expenses, mostly for their medical needs.
Foster + Pledge = Saves a Critical Dog’s Life!
To pledge, follow these steps:
- Visit the Critical Memphis Animals Facebook page
- Find a dog you’d like to help
- Comment the amount you’d like to pledge on that dog’s post
- Check Facebook Messenger for info on how to donate your pledge amount
When you pledge, you will receive updates and pictures of the dog that you helped via Facebook Messenger. Your pledge could help save a dog’s life!
Featured Articles
Need to find a specific topic? Try using the search function below.
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Dog behavior problems can be frustrating for new dog foster parents. Even minor concerns can be annoying to deal with if you can’t find a good solution. So, to help…
Read MoreDog Body Language: Knowing When Foster Dogs are Stressed
Understanding dog body language is a great way for new foster parents to set their foster dogs up for success. Dogs display lots of behaviors that could indicate stress or…
Read MoreFosters Needed for Memphis Shelter
Memphis Animal Services
2350 Appling City Cove
Memphis, TN 38133
(901) 636-1416
MAS@memphistn.gov
HOURS
Monday-Friday 1-6pm
Saturday & Sunday 12-4pm