Dogs are undisputedly the best companions anyone could have. It is for this reason that a particular hotel is offering its guests a chance to foster dogs during their stay. Considering how boring and lonely it is to travel and stay at hotels on your own. Home2 Suites by Hilton Biloxi North/D’Iberville in Mississippi has been running the program ‘Fostering Hope’ for two good reasons. First is to provide lonely guests with lively companions to give them company throughout their stay. And second is to help these friendly canines find a loving parent that could provide them a loving home. You heard it right, guests can actually adopt their newly-found friends as they check out of the hotel.
The Fostering Hope program has been in operation since October 2018. Home2 Suites works in partnership with the Humane Society of South Mississippi which houses over 200 shelter animals on any given day. Every year, the animal shelter is taking in around 8,000 rescue dogs with only 75% of them being adopted. Due to overcrowding, the shelter has no choice but to euthanize some of the dogs that were not adopted. In order to help increase the release rate of adoptable pets, Home2 Suites decided to lend a helping hand. By bringing in some dogs from the shelter to the hotel, they can help them find their forever homes. Simultaneously, allowing guests to look after dogs during their stay sounds like a perfect way to warm their lonesome hearts.
Hotel guests are allowed to foster dogs during their stay
“We’re an extended-stay Hilton branded property.”, Teresa Johnston, the hotel’s sales director, said. “We have a lot of extended-stay guests with Keesler Air Force Base, Ingalls Shipbuilding and other supporting industries. I could see that our guests were lonely, and I wanted to fill a void for them and at the same time help our community.”
Guests can opt to look after a dog upon checking in at the hotel. But take note that this is not a requisite for accommodation. This means that guests can refuse the program at their own discretion. But if guests are willing to avail the company of dogs, they can select their companions in the hotel lobby. If a guest decides to adopt the dog and take it home, they only need to fill out an application form at the lobby and pay the adoption fee. However, the Humane Society of South Mississippi reserves the right to deny an adoption.
Since 2018, the Fostering Hope program has helped 33 shelter dogs find the family they deserve. And the hotel’s sales director plans to keep the program going as a long-term initiative. This is actually not the first time that a facility has offered guests the chance to look after dogs during their stay. The Potcake Place in Turks and Caicos Islands has been offering tourists to walk rescue puppies along the beach for a day. After which, tourists can opt to return the puppies back to the shelter or bring them home.
Source: Home2 Suites | HSSM