Dogs In Need of Foster Care

Thank you so much for fostering and saving a life!

Our dogs in need of foster care are listed below. If you are new to fostering with PAWS, please apply here to get started.

For foster meets with dogs at our shelter (2900 Grays Ferry Avenue, Philadelphia PA 19146), the expectation is that you will meet the dog and take them home the same day, so please come prepared!

  • All members of your household and resident dogs should be present for the foster meet. If for any reason this is not doable, please email the foster team to talk it through.
  • We will provide you with a sample of what the dog has been eating in the shelter, but fosters will provide dog food long-term. We can lend out any other supplies you may need including a leash, martingale collar, harness, crate, pee pads, and toys/enrichment items.

Please email foster@phillypaws.org if you have any questions, or see anyone that you think could be a good fit and are interested in scheduling a meet and pick up with!

For a refresher on PAWS’s foster policies and procedures, view our online orientation.

Every time an animal leaves for foster care, it opens a space in our shelters to save another in need. You are truly changing lives: not just for these dog, but also for others whose lives depend on a spot at PAWS. Read on to find your next foster dog!

If you are not able to foster at this time, many of our healthy in-kennel dogs are eligible (and very grateful) for day trips or short-term foster placements as a shelter break. If you are interested, please email us to chat more about what that may look like!

(updated December 7th, 2023)

Dogs Currently at The Shelter

These dogs are currently in our kennels at the PAWS Grays Ferry location (2900 Grays Ferry Avenue).

We are a small facility with only about 6-7 kennel spaces available at one time, so we really rely on foster parents to help us open up kennels so that we can save more dogs! 

Name: Coffee Cake
Intake Date: 12/11/22
Age: ~6 years old
Weight: 60 lbs
Dog Friendly?: No
Cat Friendly?: No

  • We are less than one week closer to Coffee Cake’s one year anniversary with PAWS, and frankly we are more desperate than ever to have her celebrate that milestone in a foster home—or better yet have her adopted into her forever home to be able to keep making happier memories! Coffee Cake is our longest stay dog and has been with us since December 2022. Since then she has been patiently waiting her turn to be adopted, and has been a featured guest in and out of many foster homes that have grown to love and adore her. Unfortunately on October 30th Coffee Cake returned back to her kennel until we can find a foster or adoptive home for her to call her own, and she has been coping as well as a girl like her can under the circumstances.
  • We all love her to pieces and had missed seeing her as much we previously did while she was in foster care, but would love more than anything for her to ditch kennel life and return to back to a more comfortable place where she can get all of the TLC that she is so deserving of. Coffee Cake has been trying to stay her always hopeful and positive self while being back, and is always on the search far and wide for her foster or forever home. Despite being a microcelebrity and the talk of all of the local bakeries, coffee shops and the Philadelphia Flyers’ fanbase, she still has yet to find that perfect place, and we would love your help to make it happen for her!
  • Coffee Cake has gotten rave reviews from everyone that she meets about how sweet and snuggly she can be, and she is definitely not shy about showing it. Her previous foster parent said, “I’ve never met a dog that loves cuddles has much as she does. She always wants to be next to you and is happiest if your snuggling”. Unfortunately she had to be returned back after their home had experienced some change with roommate turnover, work schedules, and management, and Coffee Cake was needing a bit more attention than they were able to continue providing her. More recently with lots more time alone she had been very stressed on her own and getting into things that she shouldn’t while her fosters are away. We would love to work with her next foster home to make sure that it is Coffee Cake-proofed as much as possible at times when she is being left alone, and that she has appropriate items to keep her stimulated and mostly occupied. When on a consistent schedule Coffee Cake is housebroken, and is well behaved when left free-roaming in the house; she prefers not to be crated when home alone.
  • Her ideal foster home would have someone home most of the time; whether that be roommates with differing schedules, or someone with a work from home or flexible set up, she would love nothing more than to be with her person or people as much as possible. She would thrive in a foster home that loves a routine as much as she does! Bonus if they have a knack for taking photos and videos, or social media (follow @adoptcoffeecake!), to work on continuing her adoption promotion.
  • Due to some limitations with her sight, Coffee Cake can be a bit reactive towards other dogs, and we would also love to find her a foster home with a yard or the ability to have her walk and be outside in a less dog-populated area. She is a very bright girl who just needs the right person or people (and treats) to help her keep cool and confident.
  • Coffee Cake is full of fun and loves nothing more than to run around outside. Her zoomies are a sight to behold and she’ll make you laugh with her silly antics! When it’s time to wind down, Coffee Cake has been known to have the cutest yawn once she gets a bit sleepy, and is a huge snuggle bug and lapdog despite her size. Anyone who meets her can immediately see that she is a loyal companion who will quickly become your best friend. She loves attention, affection, and is always eager to please and put a smile on your face! Once Coffee Cake is in your life, you won’t be able to imagine it without her. She naturally knows how to make an almost instant love connection, and will be sure to shower you with more love than ever!
  • View her adoption profile here to see who your newest house goober could be, and follow her on Instagram @adoptcofeecake to see just some of her highlights!Coffee Cake is a loyal companion who will quickly become your best friend, and you won’t be able to imagine your life without her in it. She naturally knows how to make an almost instant love connection, and will be sure to shower you with more love than ever, forever!
Name: Fruit Snack
Intake Date: 11/7/23
Age: ~9 months old
Weight: 26.5 lbs, and growing
Dog Friendly?: Unknown, seeking a dog-free home at this time
Cat Friendly?: Unknown

  • Fruit Snack is all that and… well, a bag of fruit snacks! She is a certifiable pint-sized princess that is still has some growing and bulking up to do at about ~nine months old, and like her namesake is as sweet as can be and will always have you wanting more. If you are in need of some puppy in your life—yes we’re talking about the providing hard work, love, patience, training, commitment, time, energy, and more for a tremendous reward kind!—we have the girl for you.
  • Fruit Snack arrived to PAWS’ doorstep as a stray one month ago, so we don’t know about her history prior to making her debut, but she has proven to be quite the affectionate lapdog with so much love to give. So far during her time at the shelter she has unfortunately been very stressed by the presence of other dogs, so a pet-free foster home would be best for Fruit Snack so that she can finally have the opportunity to decompress and work through her ongoing socialization at her own pace. She would love walks in spaces with minimal dog-traffic, and would ideally have a quiet yard to call her own while she continues her ongoing training. With people Fruit Snack is an equal opportunist to give a smooch that you did or did not ask for, and is no stranger to physical touch. She is a big fan of getting loved on, and will be happy to provide endless snuggles.
  • Since Fruit Snack is still a puppy and a work in progress, her foster(s) should expect to continue working on her allowing her to figure the world out, and making it a less stressful place for her at times. She will need continued work with basic training with her manners, housebreaking, loose-leash walking, etc. and her foster(s) should also have a plan for ongoing socialization and managing her reactivity around other dogs, and be able to provide all of the other positive reinforcement training that she needs while she is still learning. In return for all of the love and patience that she will require, Fruit Snack promises to provide all of the wiggles, love, companionship that you could ever ask for!
  • View Fruit Snack’s adoption profile here to see even more of her highlight reel.

Dogs in Need of Foster Transfer

These dogs are currently in foster homes, and looking for a new foster home to help keep them out of the shelter. 

**Foster Transfer Needed by 12/8 or 12/9**

Names: Cody & Cobalt
Intake Date: 10/7/23
Age: ~10 years old
Weight: 64 & 57 lbs
Dog Friendly?: Unknown, seeking a dog-free home at this time
Cat Friendly?: Unknown

  • Cody & Cobalt are a duo that are ready to steal your heart, and would love to secure their spot on your couch for snuggles! They are seeking a foster transfer urgently by 12/8 or 12/9 that ideally has the ability to spend more time at home with them while they continue waiting to land in their adoptive home. They would also ideally live in a home that also has its own private yard to keep potty breaks simple since walks (together or separately) can sometimes be a bit of a production, but they are continuing to make strides with routine and consistency every day.
  • Both are seniors at about ten years old; Cody is the small chunk making lots of progress on his weight loss journey and Cobalt is the long and lanky guy. Cobalt has been working through some ongoing anxiety and figuring out a medication regimen that works for him, and Cody was recently diagnosed with Stage 1 of Chronic Kidney Disease (CKD) and was recently switched to a prescription diet. They have been living together since they were each about one year old, and were surrendered to PAWS after their owner sadly passed away this past February. Per family members, they were the perfect houseguests during that time and had been coping with the transition as well as two peas in a pod could over this past year, and seem to find comfort in being around one another.
  • Cobalt likes to nuzzle his gentle head and snout into you to shower you with affection and kisses, while Cody is slightly more independent and enjoys gentle pets, but definitely still a secret (not-so-secret) snuggler who will paw you over to request some attention. Cobalt is the more enthusiastic and extroverted sibling, and at home in his spare time when he isn’t sleeping or getting affection likes to hold a squeaky ball or stuffy in his mouth like a pacifier, especially after walks. Cody is more of the introvert who is more low-key, but will be sure to request some cuddles throughout the day when he’s wanting for some.
  • In foster care Cody & Cobalt have been described “kind of like an old married couple” due to their chill and mellow natures, and comfortability being around each other while exploring the world around them. They follow each other around both at home and on walks, and do enjoy sharing space, but also appreciate some independence from time to time. The duo can typically be found moseying about to find a spot that is calling them most, whether that be in the same or different rooms, to curl up for their beloved naps. Cody & Cobalt are quite the dynamic duo, and we would love to see them thrive in a foster home together while waiting for their forever home where they can enjoy their remaining golden years side by side!
  • View Cody & Cobalt’s adoption profile here to fall even more in love with these gentle giants!
**Foster Transfer Needed by 12/16**

Name: Jersey
Intake Date: 11/17/23
Age: ~6 years old
Weight: 53 lbs
Dog Friendly?: Yes, would require a dog meet on-site and the ability to do slow introductions at home
Cat Friendly?: No

  • Jersday everyday? It can be if you dream it! Jersey is a very sweet, spunky, and sensitive lady who was returned to PAWS after being adopted in 2021 due to issues with the resident senior dog in her previous home. She is a very playful and loving gal who needs a foster transfer before her current foster’s deadline of 12/16, to avoid having to spend any time in-shelter.
  • When Jersey came back to PAWS and headed into foster care again, she initially had some transitional stress that she is still working through, and would love routine and consistency since this will be her second foster home. While she is still decompressing, we are figuring out Jersey’s medication regimen to help “take the edge off” during this stressful time, so she would appreciate a chill environment that can give her space to relax and continue her training. We’ve also found since returning that Jersey can be reactive to sounds happening in the home that she can’t figure out the source of, so a quiet home without noisy neighbors would be most ideal for her.
  • She is a laid back cuddly gal at heart, and enjoys her daily snuggle sessions just as much as playtime. Jersey hasn’t met a person yet that she hasn’t totally charmed, and we know that she’ll charm any potential adopters in no time!
  • View Jersey’s adoption profile here to see even more of her sweet and goofy self!
**Foster Transfer Needed by 12/20**

Names: Gucci Girl
Intake Date: 11/26/23
Age: ~9 years old
Weight: 49 lbs
Dog Friendly?: Unknown, would require a dog meet on-site and the ability to do slow introductions at home
Cat Friendly?: No

  • Sweet grandma Gucci Girl is in need of a foster transfer by 12/20, and would love to have somewhere to curl up for the holidays, and beyond! She will be getting a dental cleaning and extractions done next week, and would love to continue recovering from the comfort of foster care.
  • When it comes time for some beloved comfort or sleep during the day or night, Gucci Girl is not picky about placement and will happily enjoy her crate, a couch, a dog bed, or probably even a human’s bed—if you’ll have her! She enjoys her walks, despite having arthritis that she is currently taking daily medication for, and still maintains pep in her step. Gucci Girl is housebroken and also enjoys spending time in her open crate during the day, and will sleep soundly through the night in or out of it.
  • Aside from when she is ready to express all of her pre-meal excitement (and then some), Gucci Girl is a very laid back gal at home home and her current foster describes her as an “easy going good girl.” All this couch potato needs is a couch to crash on while she waits on finding her forever home!

Upcoming Scheduled Intakes

Due to our limited kennel capacity, we cannot intake every surrender request. The dogs listed below may either be an upcoming owner surrender appointment, or a dog at ACCT Philly we are hoping to rescue. Lining up a potential foster home prior to their arrival can help them avoid staying at the shelter altogether! 

No one at the moment, please check back soon!

Dogs in Need of a Foster Sitter

These dogs are currently in foster homes, and looking for a short term foster sitter to help keep them out of the shelter. 

No one at the moment, please check back soon!