Humane Society wins national honor, $10,000 grant
The Humane Society of St. Lucie County has been named one of the nation’s top-performing animal shelters in Best Friends Animal Society’s 2026 Foster Forward Challenge, earning a $10,000 grant for expanding foster care and helping more homeless pets move toward adoption.
During the monthlong challenge, 177 animals — 153 cats and 24 dogs — spent time in foster care, an increase of 154 animals from the same period last year. The shelter also added 39 foster caregivers, and 12 foster families helped their foster pets find adoptive homes.
The results reflect the organization’s broader effort to reduce time in shelter care by placing animals in temporary homes while they await adoption. One foster placement led to the adoption of Cash, a dog whose foster caregiver brought him to a recreational volleyball league wearing an “Adopt Me” vest. A fellow player later adopted him after meeting him there.
“This recognition is a testament to what can happen when a community comes together to save lives,” said Shannon Glendinning, director of development for the Humane Society of St. Lucie County. “Our foster families and staff embraced new ideas, welcomed more pets into loving homes, and gave hundreds of animals the opportunity to thrive outside the shelter while waiting for adoption. We’re incredibly grateful to Best Friends Animal Society for recognizing these efforts and investing in the future of our foster program.”
The Humane Society of St. Lucie County said it will continue building on the Foster Forward Challenge by expanding its foster program and recruiting more families to provide temporary homes for pets in need. To learn more about fostering, adopting, volunteering or supporting the Humane Society of St. Lucie County, visit www.hsslc.org or follow the organization on Facebook and Instagram.
About Humane Society of St. Lucie County
The Humane Society of St. Lucie County is a nonprofit organization dedicated to providing compassionate care and safe shelter for homeless animals and educating the community about responsible pet ownership. The organization is an official no-kill shelter focused on finding safe, loving homes for animals in its care.
About Best Friends Animal Society
Best Friends Animal Society is a leading animal welfare organization dedicated to saving the lives of dogs and cats in America’s shelters and making the country no-kill. Founded in 1984, Best Friends operates lifesaving facilities and programs nationwide in partnership with more than 6,000 shelters and rescue organizations. From its headquarters in Kanab, Utah, the organization also operates the nation’s largest no-kill animal sanctuary. Best Friends maintains comprehensive animal sheltering data and makes it accessible to the public to help communities understand local shelter needs and how they can help. Best Friends believes every dog and cat deserves a home and that, by working together, communities can Save Them All®.
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