NYC shelters seeking ‘blizzard buddies’ for their dogs ahead of snowstorm — over 1,500 people responded
New York City’s animal shelter system issued an urgent plea for help caring for its larger dogs ahead of an approaching snowstorm — and the response from the public was overwhelming.
Animal Care Centers of New York (ACC) turned to social media to ask residents to foster a “blizzard buddy” as a major winter storm threatened to blanket the city with a foot or more of snow over the weekend. The shelter assured volunteers that supplies and transportation would be provided.
The call struck a chord. Within 24 hours, the ACC received more than 1,500 emails from people eager to open their homes to a shelter dog and share the snowy weekend with a new companion.
The “blizzard buddy” effort is part of the ACC’s ongoing “straycation” program, which allows dog lovers to foster a shelter pup for a short stay. These temporary getaways give dogs a break from kennel life, help them relax and show their true personalities, and can increase their chances of finding permanent homes.
ACC facilities can typically house up to 200 dogs at a time, but the system has struggled with overcrowding in recent years. At one point last April, more than 300 dogs were in their care. While the shelter said it won’t be able to respond to additional foster requests over the weekend, staff emphasized that both short- and long-term fosters are always needed.
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