Meet the Team Behind: Pawster

Pawster is stepping up for people in crisis in Nashville by offering temporary foster care for their pets— helping them in tough times like hospitalization, loss of housing, domestic violence, incarceration, or undergoing medical treatments. Learn more here! 

Can you tell me about the need for your work? 

When pet owners are in crisis, we house their pet until the owner is back on their feet. Many emergencies can leave owners temporarily unable to care for their beloved pet, but that doesn’t mean they should lose them forever. We help people in their most difficult times and allow them to keep their families together. For example, we worked with a man last year who desperately needed medical treatment, and was forced to leave his dog in a motel while he went to the emergency room. When motel staff threatened to surrender the dog to a shelter, the man was going to forgo the vital care he needed at the hospital just to save his dog. That’s where we step in. We got a foster, picked up his dog, and cared for the pet while the owner recovered. 

What does your foster process entail?

Our foster homes are suited to each pet’s individual needs until the owner is able to reunite with them. While in foster care, every pet receives a wellness check, annual vaccinations, a microchip, preventative medication, spay or neuter surgery, and grooming. Our network of fosters make up the core of our work. They come from all walks of life, just like our pet owners. Our fosters decide how long they want to care for an animal, and we provide them with all necessary supplies. When owners are unable to reunite with their pets, our fosters care for them until they are placed with a new loving forever home. 

How many families have you helped? 

90% of pets who receive our crisis foster care are reunited with their owners, and the rest are rehomed directly from the foster without entering a shelter or rescue. Last year, we cared for 62 dogs, 36 cats, 1 rabbit, and 1 guinea pig while their owners got back on their feet. Our numbers have increased every year since we began in 2020. We consistently have more placement requests than we do foster homes to place them in, and it’s our goal to expand our foster network so we can accommodate all crisis care requests that come our way. 

How can individuals get involved in your work? 

All fosterable and adoptable dogs are on our website, where you can also apply to be a foster. If you have a vehicle, you can be a pet chauffeur to take animals to vet appointments, foster homes, grooming sessions, or whatever transportation they may need. You can donate to directly support an animal’s foster stay, and help us recruit more foster homes by sharing individual pets through social media or texting friends and family. We also have a Chewy Wish List linked on our website where you can donate pet supplies to our fosters and pet parents in need.