Interest in fostering animals surges amid coronavirus: ASPCA

ASPCA President and CEO Matt Bershadker joins Yahoo Finance’s Zack Guzman to discuss the increase in pet fostering interest amid the coronavirus pandemic.

Video Transcript

ZACK GUZMAN: But right now, we're tracking a feel-good story right now, as more Americans work from home, potentially seeking the comfort of a new pet. And right now, we're seeing a surge in foster applications for a lot of dogs and other pets out there. For more on that, I want to bring on the president and CEO of the ASPCA, Matt Bershadker joins us right now on "The Hangout." And Matt, when we look at this, I guess if you have more people staying at home, they're going to want a companion for all that. So what have you seen in terms of adoption interest right now?

MATT BERSHADKER: Yeah, it's been actually a little bit of a silver lining. We have seen two exciting things happen. One, in our facilities in Los Angeles and New York, we have seen a 70% increase in the number of animals in foster. In addition to that, we have seen a 200% increase in the number of people wanting to foster. And at the onset of this crisis, we saw a tremendous spike in adoptions. And I believe that is about both the psychological benefits of sharing your home with a companion animal-- the joy, the love, the companionship that comes with all of that-- but also the practical benefits.

People have been contemplating bringing a dog or cat into their home and figure, you know what? Now I'm home. It's the perfect time to assimilate a new family member into my life.

ZACK GUZMAN: Is there a-- because I fall into this same boat right now where it's like, OK, I could use a little dog at home to keep me company here. Is there a fear, though-- I mean, how does the process work? Because we had been hearing about some shortages in terms of actually meeting the demand for people wanting animals right now. How does that process work differently through times of crisis and making sure that those who maybe are qualified to actually take a pet on get the pet? And then also are there any fears about once this all blows over and maybe people go back to work, how you might have to figure that situation out?

MATT BERSHADKER: Sure, sure. We have seen the animal welfare community lean into technology, just the way you and I are speaking. So the process for matching a pet owner and a pet has not changed. The same type of questions, the same types of things are being evaluated. What are you looking for in your companion animal? Are you looking for a jogging buddy, or are you looking for someone to watch TV with? So those matches are being made based on the same criteria.

But really interestingly, for example, we're using Uber to put kittens into foster homes in LA. So we'll do the interviews over Skype or Zoom or what have you. And then we'll put the kitten in an Uber, and the Uber will take the kitten right to the foster's home. So like every industry, we're taking advantage of technology, and we're innovating. And some of those innovations I think will last past this crisis, right? And that's the beauty of a crisis is you innovate and become more effective and become more efficient.

In terms of your second question, you know, it's tough to know. But this is what I would say, we see an awful lot of what we call foster failures, animals that go into foster. And once they've spent two, three, four weeks in a home, worming their way into someone's heart, it's pretty difficult for people to give them back. But this is what shelters do. They find homes for animals. So if, in the event some animals do come back after foster, which is always the intent, a foster is a temporary home, those shelters will be well-prepared to find permanent homes for those animals.

The benefit of fostering was also twofold. One, it puts the animal in a home-like setting, which only further prepares them for life in an eventual home. And two, it allows the shelter to focus its limited resources on the animals that truly need to be there, victims of cruelty or animals who may have been inadvertently separated from their owners.

ZACK GUZMAN: And then real quick, just as we wrap up here, Matt, I mean, we get in these arguments, dogs versus cats, all the time and what might be more popular when the need is greatest. What have you seen in terms of the numbers there on that front?

MATT BERSHADKER: Oh, you're going to get me in trouble with that one, so I'm just going to acknowledge it. But I do want to talk about one other thing if I may which is during times of crisis, I think it's important for nonprofits to lead, and that's precisely what the ASPCA has done. We've launched a $5 million multipronged strategy. Our work has evolved as a result of this crisis.

And this multipronged strategy is a $2 million fund for shelters to help them navigate the uncertainty and four regional food distribution points across the country-- Los Angeles, California, Miami, Florida, New York City, New York, and Asheville, North Carolina where we are making free pet food available to pet owners who have been impacted by COVID. Because the safest and best place for a pet is in a home.

ZACK GUZMAN: Yeah, whether it's a dog or a cat, and we'll take that--

MATT BERSHADKER: Whether it's dog--

ZACK GUZMAN: --protecting yourself there. I appreciate you joining us, nonetheless. Matt Bershadker, thank you so much for joining us. Appreciate it, man.

MATT BERSHADKER: Thanks so much, Zack. Stay safe.

ZACK GUZMAN: All right, thank you. You too.