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This Hotel Lets Guests Foster Dogs During Their Stay, And At Least 33 Of Them Have Been Adopted Afterward
Traveling and staying at hotels can become lonely. So lonely even the TV and the mini-bar can't numb the emptiness. But one hotel in Mississippi has found the perfect way to warm their guests' lonesome hearts.
Home2 Suites by Hilton Biloxi North/D'Iberville has been operating a program called Fostering Hope. Running since October 2018, it brings shelter dogs from the Humane Society of South Mississippi to the hotel's lobby and offers guests the chance to foster the adorable pets in their rooms while they're staying at the facility. Moreover, if people really hit it off with their companions, they can adopt them on their way out.
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This frees up space at the shelter -- which takes in about 8,000 dogs a year and adopts out close to 80% of them -- so more doggos can get the help they need and increases the chances for these dogs to get noticed and find their new family. And since the hotel specializes in long-term visits (many guests book a room for months at a time), it's the perfect venue for such an initiative.
The brilliant program was the idea of Teresa Johnston, the hotel's sales director. "We’re an extended-stay Hilton branded property. 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," she told Bored Panda.
"People love animals and we have many guest that decide to stay at the Home2 Suites by Hilton Biloxi North/D'Iberville because of this program," Johnston explained.
If guests wish to take home a dog from the program, all they have to do is fill out an application and pay the $50 adoption fee at the hotel.
The Humane Society of South Mississippi say the program is very open, but they do reserve the right to deny an adoption. If that's the case, they may invite people to visit their shelter another day and find the pet that's right for them.
So far, at least 34 guests have gone home with one of the Home 2 Suites “Fostering Hope” dogs.
"We keep doing what we’re doing, our families during the summer love the program and our servicemen and women love the program all year long," Johnston said.
The hotel's sales director also added that anyone can make this program happen. "It takes a property cheerleader, a strong operations team and a commitment to the local shelter to find homes for all these animals one at a time. Love what you do!"
Umm, excuse me... there's a magnificent ball of floof waiting for your attention!
That there looks to me like a dog who knows how this goes... and that she keeps getting recycled from one random family to another, absent a meaningful attachment...
Dogs can look sad for no apparent reason, so I hope that's it. This one is so gorgeous. Who could NOT take her home
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" Sigh, back in the day, when I was still somewhat a young, good-looking pup; before I finally settled down with my forever family, me and a couple of my best mates got a job at this place; can't remember the name of it now, but anyway, like I said, back then, I had no leash, none of us had any dog tags...we had heard things about this place, and the lot of us scored work there. Now I am not exaggerating-on the weekends, 50-60 families, easy...I was a little shy at first; but that first summer, all those families on vacation, with all those kids; it was nothing, to play with 5-6 families a WEEK...and some of them just wanted you for one night....don't get the wrong idea: it was a mutual thing for both parties. Maybe some of the families had a pet at home already, but it was a " don't ask don't tell" understanding.................."
Almost no one looks good whrn they're tired yet this one does...still looks fabulous as he is crashing out for the night.
poor baby hope someone takes her home soon and gives her lots of love
This sene is soo adorable make a great family photograph if they adopted that dog
Note: this post originally had 62 images. It’s been shortened to the top 30 images based on user votes.
I only worry about the broken hearts of the dogs when they are left again....
Not too different from when people come into the shelter to interact with to see if it's a good fit. At least thing way they get some one on one attention while waiting for their owner to find them. Kind of a two birds, one stone deal.
Load More Replies... To bad this is a fake post using random photos of dogs in hotels. Check the watermarks on the photo.
I agree. The MOUNTAINS are NOT in Mississippi or even South Carolina, and there are too many designer dogs on here that would not need fostering. My guess - this is a promo link for the hotel chain.
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I WANT THIS IN THE NETHERLANDS RIGHT NOW! I would love to spend a few days with a potential mate. See how they act at night (aka, how much room they leave me in the bed), how feeding time goes, how they behave outside, etc. All things you can't really tell from a visit to the shelter. And taking a dog home to 'try out' isn't really a thing here, and also a bit cruel to return them if it doesn't work out :(
Yeah, you're supposed to see an animal for a few minutes and then make a 15 year commitment. That's not much time to go on.
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There's a problem here, and it's a growing trend. Everything depicted here is CUTE! Reality says, these are not true pictures of life with a pet. This is why people abandon their pets soon after adoption. They are seduced by cute, and fail to be responsible pet owners.
I think it's a good idea to take kids who want dogs to a place like this. Stay a few days, let them get a taste of the kind of responsibility it takes.
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Omg I want 'me all!!!! I want to go to Mississippi now just for the hotel
This is a fake article. These dogs are guests, their owners paid 75 USD non-refundable deposit to have them there. The shelter is in Mississippi (if it exists), the chain has hundreds of hotels. BP is messing with everyone for a long time.
Load More Replies... How could you leave without the dog you slept with? Toyed with its affections? I'd just worry about getting it home. If you're flying and you felk in love with a bracycephalic dog...
@agnes prethe. So I did some diffing and it’s very much real. These photos have nothing to do with it though. You can find real photos by googling and there are a bunch of pittie and chihuahua dogs. Definitely more typical shelter dogs.
On the bright side, all of these dogs definitely have homes.
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That's such an excellent idea!!!! I love all those furry attendants so much.
some of these dogs are really expensive breeds, so I don't think this site is true. These just can't be adoptable dogs from a shelter, no way! Looks good, but most of the dogs in rescue are pitbull mixes or chihuahua mixes. If it looks too good to be true, it is!
Great idea! I just hope those dogs stay permanently with their new owners from the hotel because the people have been thinking it through to get this doggie :)
Absolutely amazing!!! I will go out of my way to stay at this hotel!
I wish the hotels I stayed at when working had this program! I work all day and then I come back to an empty room and miss my fam! This program is absolutely incredible!!
I am exhausted. What kind of evil does this to a hoomin? I want them aaaaaaaaaaalllll!
I'm not allowed to have pets where I live otherwise I would definitely love one of these balls of fluff
Do you really don't feel ashamed? This is again fake news. I couldn't find anything about this program on the hotel chain's site. The accommodation is available with dogs, the non-refundable deposit is 75 USD. The pictures have different tags, they are just probably stolen from Instagram. To the "readers': the article never said that the hotel is in Mississippi. The shelter is in Mississippi (if it exists), the chain has hundreds of hotels. BP is messing with everyone for a long time. This is paid and false advertising.
So many businesses are helping with adoption, from book stores to hotels. It's fantastic.
Yes. But this is a fake article. These dogs are guests, their owners paid 75 USD non-refundable deposit to have them there. The shelter is in Mississippi (if it exists), the chain has hundreds of hotels. BP is messing with everyone for a long time.
Load More Replies...
Is it just me, or are all of these dogs perfectly beautiful? I hope they all get new homes!
This is a fake article. These dogs are guests, their owners paid 75 USD non-refundable deposit to have them there (check out the advertised site or just read the Insta pictures tags). BP is messing with everyone for a long time.
Load More Replies...
This is a fake article. These dogs are guests, their owners paid 75 USD non-refundable deposit to have them there. The shelter is in Mississippi (if it exists), the chain has hundreds of hotels. BP is messing with everyone for a long time.
Load More Replies...
Just got back from my last trip to Memphis... time to book one to Biloxi, I guess! :)
This is a fake article. These dogs are guests, their owners paid 75 USD non-refundable deposit to have them there (check out the advertised site or just read the Insta pictures tags). BP is messing with everyone for a long time. Also the article never said that the hotel is in Mississippi. The shelter is in Mississippi (if it exists), the chain has hundreds of hotels.
Load More Replies... @BoredPanda Why haven't you closed this SpamBot account yet??????
Load More Replies...
I only worry about the broken hearts of the dogs when they are left again....
Not too different from when people come into the shelter to interact with to see if it's a good fit. At least thing way they get some one on one attention while waiting for their owner to find them. Kind of a two birds, one stone deal.
Load More Replies... To bad this is a fake post using random photos of dogs in hotels. Check the watermarks on the photo.
I agree. The MOUNTAINS are NOT in Mississippi or even South Carolina, and there are too many designer dogs on here that would not need fostering. My guess - this is a promo link for the hotel chain.
Load More Replies... I WANT THIS IN THE NETHERLANDS RIGHT NOW! I would love to spend a few days with a potential mate. See how they act at night (aka, how much room they leave me in the bed), how feeding time goes, how they behave outside, etc. All things you can't really tell from a visit to the shelter. And taking a dog home to 'try out' isn't really a thing here, and also a bit cruel to return them if it doesn't work out :(
Yeah, you're supposed to see an animal for a few minutes and then make a 15 year commitment. That's not much time to go on.
Load More Replies... There's a problem here, and it's a growing trend. Everything depicted here is CUTE! Reality says, these are not true pictures of life with a pet. This is why people abandon their pets soon after adoption. They are seduced by cute, and fail to be responsible pet owners.
I think it's a good idea to take kids who want dogs to a place like this. Stay a few days, let them get a taste of the kind of responsibility it takes.
Load More Replies... Omg I want 'me all!!!! I want to go to Mississippi now just for the hotel
This is a fake article. These dogs are guests, their owners paid 75 USD non-refundable deposit to have them there. The shelter is in Mississippi (if it exists), the chain has hundreds of hotels. BP is messing with everyone for a long time.
Load More Replies... How could you leave without the dog you slept with? Toyed with its affections? I'd just worry about getting it home. If you're flying and you felk in love with a bracycephalic dog...
@agnes prethe. So I did some diffing and it’s very much real. These photos have nothing to do with it though. You can find real photos by googling and there are a bunch of pittie and chihuahua dogs. Definitely more typical shelter dogs.
On the bright side, all of these dogs definitely have homes.
Load More Replies... That's such an excellent idea!!!! I love all those furry attendants so much.
some of these dogs are really expensive breeds, so I don't think this site is true. These just can't be adoptable dogs from a shelter, no way! Looks good, but most of the dogs in rescue are pitbull mixes or chihuahua mixes. If it looks too good to be true, it is!
Great idea! I just hope those dogs stay permanently with their new owners from the hotel because the people have been thinking it through to get this doggie :)
Absolutely amazing!!! I will go out of my way to stay at this hotel!
I wish the hotels I stayed at when working had this program! I work all day and then I come back to an empty room and miss my fam! This program is absolutely incredible!!
I am exhausted. What kind of evil does this to a hoomin? I want them aaaaaaaaaaalllll!
I'm not allowed to have pets where I live otherwise I would definitely love one of these balls of fluff
Do you really don't feel ashamed? This is again fake news. I couldn't find anything about this program on the hotel chain's site. The accommodation is available with dogs, the non-refundable deposit is 75 USD. The pictures have different tags, they are just probably stolen from Instagram. To the "readers': the article never said that the hotel is in Mississippi. The shelter is in Mississippi (if it exists), the chain has hundreds of hotels. BP is messing with everyone for a long time. This is paid and false advertising.
So many businesses are helping with adoption, from book stores to hotels. It's fantastic.
Yes. But this is a fake article. These dogs are guests, their owners paid 75 USD non-refundable deposit to have them there. The shelter is in Mississippi (if it exists), the chain has hundreds of hotels. BP is messing with everyone for a long time.
Load More Replies... Is it just me, or are all of these dogs perfectly beautiful? I hope they all get new homes!
This is a fake article. These dogs are guests, their owners paid 75 USD non-refundable deposit to have them there (check out the advertised site or just read the Insta pictures tags). BP is messing with everyone for a long time.
Load More Replies... This is a fake article. These dogs are guests, their owners paid 75 USD non-refundable deposit to have them there. The shelter is in Mississippi (if it exists), the chain has hundreds of hotels. BP is messing with everyone for a long time.
Load More Replies... Just got back from my last trip to Memphis... time to book one to Biloxi, I guess! :)
This is a fake article. These dogs are guests, their owners paid 75 USD non-refundable deposit to have them there (check out the advertised site or just read the Insta pictures tags). BP is messing with everyone for a long time. Also the article never said that the hotel is in Mississippi. The shelter is in Mississippi (if it exists), the chain has hundreds of hotels.
Load More Replies... @BoredPanda Why haven't you closed this SpamBot account yet??????
Load More Replies... 