Virtual Meet and Greet

The Tombstone Animal Shelter is proud to announce our new Virtual Meet and Greet + Foster to Adopt Program!

This innovative program lets you get to know our adoptable animals in a relaxed, low-pressure way—before you fill out any adoption paperwork or make a lifelong commitment. Whether you're considering a dog, or cat, you'll have the chance to connect meaningfully and ensure it's the perfect match for your home and lifestyle.

Why This Program Makes a Difference

Virtual Meet and Greets allow potential adopters to interact with animals via video chat from the comfort of home. Shelter staff or foster caregivers bring you right into the animal's familiar space, so you can see their true personality shine through—without the stress of a busy shelter environment, barking dogs, or unfamiliar faces. Shy, senior, or special-needs animals often show their best selves this way, leading to better connections and higher success rates for harder-to-place pets.

The Foster to Adopt Program takes it a step further: You can foster the animal first (with full support from our team), living with them in your home on a trial basis. This gives everyone time to adjust before finalizing the adoption.

Key Benefits of Our Virtual Meet and Greet + Foster to Adopt Approach

• Lower Return Rates: Many animals are returned to shelters because of mismatched expectations (e.g., energy level, behavior in a home setting, or compatibility with kids/other pets). By meeting virtually and then fostering first, you get real-life experience with the animal’s daily routines, quirks, and needs. This leads to far more informed decisions and significantly reduces the chance of returns. Shelters using strong matching and trial periods often see much lower return rates overall.

• Better Matches and Happier Families: You’ll discover how the animal behaves in a real home environment—not just in a kennel. This helps ensure compatibility with your household, schedule, and lifestyle, resulting in stronger bonds and fewer surprises after adoption.

• Less Stress for the Animals: Pets (especially shy or stressed ones) feel more comfortable showing their authentic selves during virtual sessions or in a foster home, rather than during a rushed in-shelter meet-and-greet. This leads to more accurate assessments and successful placements.

• Increased Accessibility and Convenience: No need to drive to the shelter multiple times or rush a decision. Virtual options open the door to more families, including those with transportation challenges, busy schedules, or who live farther away.

• Higher Overall Success and Live Release Rates: Foster programs help animals decompress, build confidence, and reveal their best qualities, making them more adoptable. Combined with thoughtful virtual introductions, this approach boosts adoption rates while prioritizing long-term success for both pets and people.

Our goal is simple: fewer animals returned, more lifelong happy homes, and healthier, less stressed pets. By taking these extra steps upfront, we set everyone up for success.

If you're interested in learning more about our upcoming Virtual Meet and Greet + Foster to Adopt Program, stay tuned for details on how to sign up. We can't wait to help you find (or should we say, "foster") your new best friend!

Questions? Contact us at 520-457-2545 or visit us at the shelter.