A Break From Shelter Stress

Each year, more than 4 million dogs enter animal shelters in the United States, and approximately half a million are euthanized. Increasing adoptions and improving the quality of life inside shelters are critical goals for animal welfare organizations.

Led by Clive Wynne, professor of psychology and head of ASU’s Canine Science Collaboratory, the research team studies how the shelter environment affects dogs and what interventions might improve their well-being.

The idea for studying sleepovers came after observing a long-running overnight foster program at Best Friends Animal Sanctuary in Utah. Researchers wanted to know: Does even a short break from the shelter reduce stress in dogs?

The study, published in PeerJ on March 27, was conducted in collaboration with shelters in Arizona, Utah, Texas, Montana, and Georgia.

Measuring Stress Through Cortisol

To objectively measure stress, researchers tracked dogs’ cortisol levels, a hormone associated with stress. Cortisol was measured before, during, and after the dogs’ overnight sleepovers.

Despite the participating shelters varying widely in size — some serving around 600 dogs annually and others more than 6,000 — the findings were consistent:

• Cortisol levels decreased during the sleepover.
• After returning to the shelter, cortisol levels returned to pre-sleepover levels.

In other words, the sleepover acted like a “weekend break” from the workweek. It did not permanently eliminate stress, but it provided a measurable, temporary relief.

Importantly, researchers had questioned whether returning to the shelter after a calm home environment might increase stress. The data showed that dogs simply returned to baseline levels — not worse than before.

More Rest, Better Recovery

Beyond hormone levels, researchers also studied rest patterns. Dogs living in homes typically sleep around 14 hours per day. Shelter dogs, however, sleep just under 11 hours daily.

“Trying to sleep in a shelter is like trying to sleep with noisy neighbors,” explained Lisa Gunter, Maddie’s Fund Research Fellow and first author of the study.

Using activity-tracking collars, the research team found that:

• The longest rest periods occurred during sleepovers.
• Even after returning to the shelter, dogs rested longer than they had before.

This increase in rest suggests that even short-term fostering allows dogs to recover from the overstimulation and noise common in shelter environments.

Benefits Beyond Stress Reduction

Sleepovers offer additional advantages beyond measurable stress relief. Shelter staff and volunteers gain insight into how a dog behaves in a home setting — information that can significantly improve adoption matches.

According to Debbie McKnight of the Arizona Humane Society, one of the participating shelters, sleepovers help staff better understand a dog’s personality, habits, and needs. That knowledge can make the difference when pairing a dog with the right forever family.

Sleepovers also provide a low-commitment entry point for new volunteers who may be curious about fostering but hesitant to take on long-term care.

Part of a Bigger Picture

While sleepovers are promising, they are just one strategy in improving outcomes for shelter dogs. The ASU Canine Science Collaboratory continues to study programs that give dogs time outside the shelter environment, including field trips and long-term foster care.

With support from Maddie’s Fund, the team is enrolling 100 shelters nationwide to better understand how foster care impacts not only dogs but also shelter staff, volunteers, and organizational systems.

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A Simple, Powerful Intervention

The findings are both practical and hopeful. A single night or weekend in a home can temporarily lower stress hormones and allow dogs to rest more deeply — two important factors in overall well-being.

For shelters considering short-term foster programs, this research offers strong evidence that sleepovers are more than feel-good initiatives. They are measurable, science-backed opportunities to improve the lives of dogs waiting for permanent homes.

Sometimes, all a shelter dog needs is a quiet couch, a calm night’s sleep, and a short break from the noise — even if it’s just for the weekend.

Study conducted by the ASU Canine Science Collaboratory in collaboration with shelters in Arizona, Utah, Texas, Montana and Georgia. Published in PeerJ, March 27. Funded by Maddie’s Fund.