Dedicated Volunteer Fosters Kittens and Dogs to Help Pets Find Loving Homes

Frankie Giblin, a Best Friends volunteer in Los Angeles, has opened her home to foster animals large and small to support the no-kill shelter mission.

Mar. 13, 2026 at 12:00pm

Got story updates? Submit your updates here. ›

Frankie Giblin, a volunteer at Best Friends in Los Angeles, started fostering kittens in 2018 and has since expanded to fostering dogs as well. Her foster work has helped pets decompress, socialize, and adjust to home life before being adopted, creating space at the shelter to rescue more animals. Frankie shares the pets' stories on social media, helping them find loving homes, and says the joy of fostering is in watching the animals transform from scared and unsure to fully trusting and relaxed.

Why it matters

Frankie's fostering efforts are part of Best Friends' goal to support all animal shelters nationwide in reaching no-kill status, where every dog and cat that can be saved is saved. Fostering provides a vital temporary home for pets, allowing shelters to rescue more animals and prepare them for adoption.

The details

Frankie initially started fostering kittens two weeks after beginning to volunteer at Best Friends in 2018. She has since expanded to fostering dogs as well, taking them in for short-term foster events or when there is not an overwhelming need for kittens. Frankie shares the pets' stories and photos on social media, helping them gain visibility and find loving homes. She says her favorite part is watching the animals transform from scared and unsure to fully trusting and relaxed in a home environment.

  • Frankie started volunteering at Best Friends in Los Angeles in 2018.
  • Frankie took in her first foster kitten just two weeks after starting to volunteer.

The players

Frankie Giblin

A volunteer at Best Friends in Los Angeles who fosters both kittens and dogs to help them transition into loving homes.

Best Friends

An animal welfare organization with the goal of supporting all animal shelters nationwide in reaching no-kill status.

Magnus

A dog that Frankie fostered, whose photos and updates helped him find an adopter.

Got photos? Submit your photos here. ›

What they’re saying

“Spending time (with the kittens) really opened my eyes to how important foster homes are. When animals go into foster care, it creates space so the shelter can rescue more pets, and it gives them a chance to decompress, socialize, and adjust to home life before being adopted.”

— Frankie Giblin, Volunteer (bestfriends.org)

“One of my absolute favorite parts is watching them go from scared and unsure to fully trusting and relaxed. That transformation is really special.”

— Frankie Giblin, Volunteer (bestfriends.org)

“Yes, it can be emotional, but this is about them and giving them a chance. Our hearts recover. For them, fostering can be life‑changing. And if you do fall in love and adopt, well, that's just a foster win.”

— Frankie Giblin, Volunteer (bestfriends.org)

What’s next

Frankie plans to continue fostering both kittens and dogs, helping to support Best Friends' mission of reaching no-kill status for animal shelters nationwide.

The takeaway

Frankie's story shows how fostering pets, even for a short time, can make a big difference in helping animals find loving homes and creating space at shelters to rescue more animals in need. Her dedication to fostering both kittens and dogs demonstrates the vital role that foster volunteers play in the no-kill movement.