Pitt County Animal Services placed a mixed‑breed dog named Max with a local family beginning Dec. 19 as part of its annual “Home for the HOWLidays” foster program.

The program sends dogs and cats into temporary homes from before Christmas through the new year so animals can spend time outside the shelter and in family environments. For many animals, including Max, the experience offers a break from kennel life and a chance to acclimate to a household setting before being returned to the shelter after the holidays. Some studies suggest that such holiday foster programs may boost animal adoption rates in shelters, although specific statistics vary.

Jules Norwood, an East Carolina University employee who collected Max on Dec. 19, said the arrangement has been rewarding. “It’s been a really good experience,” Norwood said, describing the short‑term foster as a positive break for both the family and the dog. Preparing their home for Max involved securing potential hazards such as toxic foods and electrical cords, ensuring a safe environment for the new family member. How can individuals or families prepare their homes for fostering a pet during the holidays involved securing potential hazards such as toxic foods and electrical cords, ensuring a safe environment for the new family member.

Norwood’s household took Max into their home for the holiday period; the family includes four people and a resident dog, Binks, a 10‑year‑old Westie who has been less enthusiastic about the newcomer. Those quiet domestic tensions underline how the program places animals into ordinary family life rather than clinical shelter spaces, allowing staff and fosters to observe behavioral changes in a home setting. Local shelters often see an increase in dog adoption rates during this season, although specific statistics can vary.

Norwood described the emotional side of the work: “It falls to me because the girls don’t want to be part of that. It is heartbreaking.” She also noted how quickly some animals settle: “They (the dogs) seem to really enjoy it, and it’s really interesting to watch how they change as they get comfortable in the house with people and everything.” Those shifts can inform shelter staff about a dog’s temperament and suitability for adoption down the line.

Pitt County Animal Services organizes the Home for the HOWLidays program to move pets temporarily from the shelter into homes for the holidays. The program runs annually and is intended to let animals live in family settings from before Christmas through the new year, then return to the shelter for adoption or continued care. This initiative echoes the growing community interest in short-term fostering, which helps shelters provide relief for animals that might otherwise remain inside kennel settings during busy winter weeks.

For hosts like Norwood’s family, the pause in shelter life provides both companionship and a reminder that parting will come. Max is expected to be returned to Pitt County Animal Services after the holiday period, where staff will continue the dog’s path toward adoption. The anticipation of a new beginning for Max is a bittersweet aspect of the holiday foster experience, highlighting the importance of fostering in increasing adoption opportunities.

Local outlets have described the program’s schedule and pickup windows in recent coverage; WCTI12 reported on the launch of the seasonal effort and its goals for short‑term fostering. Norwood’s account highlights the practical and emotional components of holiday fostering: a family providing space, a resident dog adjusting, and shelter staff seeing animals in a new context. For Max, the foster stay will end when the program’s return date arrives and the dog goes back into the shelter system to await a permanent placement.

Source

Original reporting: view the original article.