Pawsitive Recovery, a program based in Colorado that places pets in foster care while their owners receive treatment for addiction, mental health issues, or abuse, has become so popular that the organization is looking to expand across the country. The program launched in Denver in 2021 and removes a significant barrier to treatment: the fear of losing a beloved pet.
Program Origins and Expansion
Serena Saunders, a former veterinary technician, started Pawsitive Recovery out of her Denver home after realizing the need when her therapist suggested she work with dogs during recovery from alcohol addiction. Two years ago, Saunders met an employee with SPCA International, which became interested in her work. The organization hired Saunders and folded her nonprofit into their mission. The program now partners with mental health treatment and sober living facilities across Colorado.
How the Program Works
People who need inpatient care but have pets they do not want to leave behind get referred to the SPCA and connected with a foster caregiver. The organization and its host of volunteers care for around 30 to 40 animals at a time, mostly cats and dogs. Fosters are typically volunteers from the recovery space—therapists, people in long-term recovery, and parents of family members impacted by addiction. Pawsitive Recovery commits to fostering pets for six months, giving the person in recovery time to figure out their next move. The SPCA charges $100 per month for a boarding fee, which serves as an accountability tool while allowing the organization to set up fundraisers for people without income.
Life-Changing Outcomes
One program participant, Chaidez, 27, was living out of her car when she learned about the program. With her dog Duck placed in foster care, she was able to get inpatient psychiatric treatment, secure employment at a Starbucks in Vail, and obtain her own apartment. When reunited with Duck in mid-December, she realized the significant milestone she had achieved: “I was in my own place, I have my own bed, my dog is back, and it really clicked.”
This article is an AI-assisted summary. All facts and figures are drawn from the original report: https://www.reporterherald.com/2026/01/01/pawsitive-recovery-pet-foster-addiction/