Fayette Friends of Animals: Dog Field Trip/Short-Term Fostering Grant Report

How did this grant help your organization and the pets in your care?

The Petfinder Foundation Field Trip Grant allowed us to enhance our summer hiking series, giving shelter dogs regular opportunities to enjoy the outdoors, engage with the public, and increase their visibility for adoption. The grant also sparked the development of a running series, where more-active volunteers took high-energy dogs out for trail runs and road miles, further enriching the lives of our animals and building stronger community connections.

Using the grant funds, we were able to purchase new harnesses, leashes, “Adopt Me” vests, collapsible bowls, etc., ensuring safe and comfortable trips for the dogs and our volunteers. These supplies were essential in taking multiple dogs off-site at once and creating a professional and appealing presence during outings.

We organized both group and individual field trips, with some hikes featuring up to 8–10 dogs at a time — a huge feat for our shelter and team! These trips were promoted on social media and helped our dogs shine in natural environments, which led to increased adoptions. In one remarkable week, every single dog who went on a field trip was adopted, including a long-term resident who had been with us for several years.

An awesome outcome was also the emergence of a new volunteer pathway: “short-term fosters.” Many community members who started as hike or run volunteers felt inspired to become a volunteer and take a dog home for the day or weekend. These short-term foster trips allowed dogs to decompress, experience new environments, and led to permanent placements. Additionally, our shelter’s presence on trails, parks, and social media raised awareness and engagement with FFOA.

How many pets did this grant help?

40

Please provide a story of one or more specific pets this grant helped.

One of the most inspiring outcomes of our summer hiking and running series was the transformation — and ultimate adoption — of Indy (first photo), a high-energy dog who had been in our care for nearly two years.

Indy came to us with behavioral challenges and eventually a bite history that made her difficult to place. While our staff worked hard to care for her, the stress of the shelter environment only amplified her energy and anxiety, making meet-and-greets with potential adopters nearly impossible. Most people never got to see the real Indy.

Thanks to the Petfinder Foundation Field Trip Grant, we were able to outfit Indy with adoption-promo gear and include her in running outings. These field trips were life-changing — not just for Indy, but for our staff as well. Once she was out of the kennel and immersed in nature, Indy was a completely different dog: relaxed, focused, affectionate, and curious.

Our staff saw this transformation firsthand and began to rethink how to approach her adoption process. Rather than meeting potential adopters at her kennel in the shelter, they started arranging introductions in neutral, calm environments where Indy could shine. Over the course of three weeks, Indy went on several field trips, allowing our team to see her true self.

Shortly after that, Indy was adopted. It was a major victory, not only because of how long she had been in our care, but because her adoption was made possible by a shift in mindset that the field trip program encouraged. The outings didn’t just benefit Indy physically — they helped our staff build trust, soften perceptions, and open the door to a new approach.

Thanks to this grant, Indy finally got the second chance she deserved. And now she’s home.