Beyond the Shelter Walls: Why the Future of Animal Welfare Is Foster-Centric
Beyond the Shelter Walls: Why the Future of Animal Welfare Is Foster-Centric
For decades, animal shelters have been the centerpiece of animal welfare. When animals needed help, the solution was simple: bring them into the building.
But what if the future of animal welfare looks different?
What if shelters become temporary safety nets rather than permanent solutions? What if more animals recover, grow, and thrive in homes instead of kennels?
In this episode of the Top Dog Podcast, Kristen Hassen, Founder and CEO of Outcomes Consulting, challenges some of the field’s most deeply rooted assumptions. Drawing from her experience leading three major shelters to a 90%+ live release rate, Kristen shares why the future of animal welfare isn’t just about saving more lives—it’s about reimagining where and how we save them.
For organizations, fosters, and Dooberteers, this conversation offers both inspiration and a challenge: are we willing to let go of outdated systems in favor of better outcomes?
The Animals Were Never the Problem
Kristen has worked in shelters with more than 20,000 annual intakes and successfully transformed each one into a high-performing, lifesaving organization.
But according to her, the animals themselves were never the biggest obstacle.
“The animals are wonderful. They’re all cats and dogs wherever you go. There’s no unique situation with anyone’s animals.”
The real challenge?
People.
More specifically, systems built around old assumptions.
Shelters across the country often continue practices simply because:
- “That’s how we’ve always done it.”
- Someone once tried something different and it didn’t work.
- Fear of change outweighs curiosity.
Kristen believes that if organizations truly commit to saving lives, solutions become much easier to find.
“If we decide we’re going to save them, we just do that.”
Lifesaving Starts With Questioning Old Habits
One of the most powerful themes throughout the conversation is the importance of challenging outdated practices.
Kristen recalls entering shelters where animals were routinely euthanized for reasons that today seem unimaginable:
- Shy behavior
- Kennel stress
- Treatable medical conditions
- Ringworm
- Fear-based responses
Instead of accepting those outcomes, she encouraged teams to ask:
Why are we doing this?
What does the evidence actually tell us?
“We’re not going to euthanize cats for being shy anymore.”
The shift wasn’t always easy.
But it was necessary.
Because meaningful change often starts by examining practices we’ve stopped questioning.
Data Should Drive Decisions
If there’s one thing Kristen is passionate about, it’s using data to improve outcomes.
“If you ground in the research and data, everything I say is going to be true.”
Too often, organizations rely on:
- Tradition
- Anecdotes
- Fear
- Personal opinions
Instead, Kristen encourages shelters to ask:
- What do we know?
- How do we know it?
- What does the evidence support?
One example she highlights is the problem of animals being marked as unavailable.
Whether categorized as:
- Rescue only
- Medical hold
- Behavior hold
- Staff-only viewing
Animals who remain hidden from the public often stay in shelters longer, increasing stress and reducing opportunities for positive outcomes.
Data allows organizations to identify these bottlenecks and address them before they become crises.
Foster Care Isn’t a Backup Plan
Perhaps the boldest idea Kristen shares is her vision for the future of animal welfare.
She believes we need to move away from shelter-centric models entirely.
“I want my legacy to be that we moved from a shelter-centric model to a foster-centric model.”
Why?
Because homes consistently outperform institutions.
Animals in foster homes often experience:
- Reduced stress
- Lower disease exposure
- Better behavioral observations
- More individualized care
- Faster adoption outcomes
The data overwhelmingly supports what many fosters already know:
Animals thrive in homes.
Shelters should serve as temporary stopovers—not destinations.
Fostering Creates Better Outcomes for Everyone
Many people assume fostering is only for newborn kittens or emergency cases.
But foster programs can support:
- Adult dogs
- Senior pets
- Medical recoveries
- Behavior support
- Long-term residents
- Temporary owner crises
When shelters build robust foster networks, they gain flexibility and capacity.
More importantly, animals gain access to something shelters can never fully replicate:
A home environment.
For Dooberteers, fostering isn’t just volunteering.
It’s one of the most impactful forms of lifesaving available.
We Need Better Leaders, Not Just More Passion
Kristen also emphasizes the importance of professional development.
Animal welfare attracts compassionate people.
But compassion alone isn’t enough.
“Animal shelter professionals need to upskill more quickly.”
Leaders need skills in:
- Management
- Operations
- Data analysis
- Communication
- Change management
- Strategic planning
She points out that other industries routinely invest in leadership education, while animal welfare professionals are often expected to learn on the fly.
The result?
Burnout.
Turnover.
Missed opportunities.
By investing in education, organizations strengthen their ability to save lives sustainably.
Looking Outside Animal Welfare for Solutions
One of Kristen’s most interesting perspectives is her encouragement to learn from other industries.
Currently, she’s fascinated by hospital bed management.
Why?
Because hospitals constantly balance:
- Capacity
- Efficiency
- Flow
- Urgency
Animal shelters face many of the same challenges.
“The more you can look outside of animal welfare… the more lessons you can take.”
Innovation doesn’t always require reinventing the wheel.
Sometimes it means borrowing ideas from people solving similar problems differently.
Taking Care of the People Doing the Work
Toward the end of the conversation, Kristen delivers one of the episode’s most important messages.
Animal welfare work is hard.
Trauma exposure is real.
Burnout is common.
And too many professionals believe suffering is simply part of the job.
Kristen disagrees.
“If you are working in an environment where you have to go home and drink to survive your job, you should leave.”
There are healthy organizations.
There are supportive leaders.
There are teams where people can thrive.
Helping animals should not come at the expense of your own wellbeing.
What This Means for Dooberteers
Kristen’s story reminds us that meaningful change starts with courage.
The courage to:
- Challenge outdated practices.
- Follow the evidence.
- Try new approaches.
- Invest in people.
- Build stronger foster networks.
- Care for ourselves while caring for others.
Animal welfare isn’t just about keeping systems running.
It’s about creating systems worthy of the animals and people they serve.
Listen to the Full Episode
Want to hear Kristen Hassen’s full conversation about leadership, foster-centric sheltering, and transforming animal welfare systems?
Watch on YouTube:
Listen for the audio versions:
If you’re passionate about helping animals, join the Doobert community where volunteers, fosters, transporters, and animal organizations work together to save lives every day.
Visit Doobert.com to get involved, volunteer, foster, or transport animals in need.
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