Blanca poses with her Pet Advocate Foster Mommy and Her Forever Daddy

Humane Society of South Mississippi celebrates the Mississippi Pet Advocacy Program as they place their first dog, Blanca, into a permanent home.

Mississippi Pet Advocacy Program is designed to get animals out of the shelters and in front of possible adopters within our community.  Foster parents take responsibility for the pet for a limited period of time and introduce their pet to friends, colleagues, and family in hopes to find the pet a permanent home.  “I want to help the Humane Society of South Mississippi find homes for all healthy animals along the Coast,” said Kevin Buckel, creator of the Advocacy Program.   “My role is to help advocate parents market their foster pet and provide tips and ideas on how to find the pets a good permanent home.”

Jennifer Crocker, of Hattiesburg, Miss., describes her experience as a pet advocate parent as rewarding.  “I love animals and it has been wonderful to help to find a permanent home for Blanca.”  “We became fast friends and her personality was great which made it easy to write an ad for my local paper about her.”  “Nick called with an interest in her and I knew immediately he would be the perfect dad for Blanca,” said Crocker.  “I would have never found Blanca had I not seen the ad placed by Jennifer,” said Nick Burks, Blanca’s new dad.  “She and Willy, my pug, are the best of friends and this experience has completed my family.”

Mississippi Pet Advocates is currently accepting applications for additional foster families at this time.  Interested applicants can find out information or apply by visiting www.mspetadvocate.com.   Foster families are asked to take a healthy, adoptable pet for up to three weeks and during that time, they are asked to show off the pet to their friends, families, colleagues, and attempt to find the pet a forever home.  There is no cost to choose a pet from the shelter and any medical needs for the pet are covered by the shelter.

Buckel said this program is a short term commitment with a lifetime of results.  When you become an advocate you save two lives because you made room in the shelter for a new adoptable pet.

To find out to help homeless pets along South Mississippi please visit www.HSSM.org or www.mspetadvocate.com or call 228.863.3354.