Pet homelessness doesn’t always begin with abandonment. Often, it begins with crisis.
A medical emergency. Housing instability. A sudden life change. In moments like these, loving pet owners can be forced into impossible choices—choices that no one should have to make.
That’s where Pawster steps in.
Pawster’s mission is simple and powerful: to end pet homelessness before it begins. When pet owners are in crisis, Pawster places their dogs or cats in loving foster homes until the owners are back on their feet—preventing unnecessary surrenders and keeping families whole.
This mission comes to life every day through extraordinary volunteers like Corry Paul and Sean Wilbur.
Corry and Sean are volunteer foster parents with Pawster who consistently say “yes” to the dogs who need it most. Over the past two years, they have fostered seven long-stay dogs for a combined 642 days—nearly two full years of care offered from the stability of their own home.
These are not short stays or easy cases.
The dogs Corry and Sean welcome are often high-energy, medically complex, or behaviorally challenged—pets who are harder to place and at greater risk of entering the shelter system. Without foster families like theirs, many of these dogs could face euthanasia simply because there is nowhere else for them to go.
But Corry and Sean don’t just provide a couch or a crate. They provide commitment.
Fostering with Pawster isn’t about doing the minimum and waiting it out. For Corry and Sean, it’s about showing up fully, day after day, for however long a dog needs.
Together, they’ve coordinated and attended 20+ veterinary appointments, managing surgery aftercare, medications, follow-up treatments, and specialized training. They help dogs decompress, stabilize, and learn how to thrive in a home environment again. They see dogs through the entire arc of recovery—not just the easy days.
And when one foster dog finally goes home? They’re ready to help the next one.
In October 2025, when the need was urgent, Corry and Sean even took in a second foster dog, ensuring no animal fell through the cracks. The impact of this kind of service ripples far beyond one household.
Every dog fostered by Corry and Sean is a dog who does not enter an overburdened shelter system. On average, 22% of animals at Nashville’s municipal shelter are surrendered by their owners, and the cost of surrender, housing, and adoption can reach $1,000–$3,000 per pet.
By contrast, Pawster’s Crisis Foster Care costs less than $500 per pet, easing shelter overcrowding and allowing shelters to focus resources on truly homeless animals.
Those 642 days of foster care represent 642 days the local shelter was free to serve other animals in need.
But the most profound impact isn’t financial—it’s personal.
Because of Corry and Sean’s care, seven families were able to navigate crisis without losing a beloved pet. When families know their dog or cat is safe, they can focus on recovery: securing housing, accessing healthcare, applying for services, and rebuilding their lives.
This is what prevention looks like in action.
Gunner’s Story: A Family Stays Whole
One dog’s journey captures this impact perfectly.
Gunner, a 90-pound German Shepherd–Husky mix with one blue eye and one brown, entered Pawster foster care in September 2025. Friendly and full of love, Gunner also suffered from a severe fungal skin infection that required months of consistent treatment.
At the same time, his family was facing a personal crisis and transitioning toward stable, pet-friendly housing. Gunner’s mom knew she couldn’t risk gaps in his care while trying to rebuild life for herself and her daughter.
So Corry and Sean stepped in.
For three months, they administered treatments, followed veterinary guidance, and provided Gunner with a calm, structured routine. Slowly, his condition improved. His discomfort faded. His playful, joyful spirit returned.
And in December 2025, Gunner went home.
He never entered the shelter system. His family never had to say goodbye. All because someone made space—for healing, for patience, and for hope.
Pawster believes families belong together—even during the hardest seasons of life. Through its Crisis Foster Program, and with the help of volunteers like Corry and Sean, that belief becomes reality every day.
As a member of Voluntary Organizations Active in Disaster (VOAD), Pawster also steps up when the community needs it most. During the January 2026 winter storm, Pawster played a vital role in housing displaced pets.
That’s Pawster. That’s the power of fostering.