FOSTER FAILURES ARE WINS, TOO
On a wall in the back of Mostly Mutts in Kennesaw,
there are photos marked as “foster failures.”
Volunteer coordinator Sara Rylander is
pictured with her three “failures,” one that got her
involved in the shelter and the other two fosters
that she just couldn’t give up.
These “failures,” are pets that head to a
home with the intention of being foster pets but
then never leave as they have found their
permanent homes.
Mostly Mutts has 300 active volunteers who
work with the shelter, on anything from walking
dogs to cleaning to fostering dogs. The shelter
adopted 477 pets as of late summer 2020 and was
on pace to top that at 540 at the same time in 2021.
“We try really hard to match up the right dogs
with the right families because sometimes people
will apply for a dog and it’s not a great fit,” Rylander
said. “But nine times out of 10 we have another dog
here in the program that is a good fit.”
The shelter had one of its largest influxes of
pets in July 2020 when it took in nearly 50
dachshunds after they were forfeited in a hoarding
case in Tennessee. The pets were spayed or
neutered at the facility and then adopted out.
The shelter also works with a Fulton County
re-entry program where Mostly Mutts’ head trainer
works with people in the program to care for some
of the vulnerable pets that need more care or
training than others.
VERY TOP: Evy, a 7 month-old hound mix, awaits visitors
who might want to adopt her, at Mostly Mutts shelter.
MIDDLE LEFT: Mostly Mutts volunteers Bejay Petrick and
Sandi Edelson take dogs for one of several daily walks.
MIDDLE RIGHT: Mostly Mutts Director Tammy Turley.
DIRECTLY ABOVE: Mostly Mutts volunteer Jan Herring
with mixed breed dog eager for adoption.
TOP RIGHT: Zoe Strey, 9, has
been volunteering at Mostly
Mutts for several years,
along with her mother
Jessica Strey.
IMMDEIATE RIGHT:
Mostly Mutts Volunteer
Coordinator Sara Rylander
with adoption-ready dog.
18 COBB LIFE | NOVEMBER 2021