Life has suddenly taken a turn for the better for Rocky and Ginger, a pair of Labrador retriever mixes who have spent months in the Temple Animal Services facility.

As part of a joint program between the shelter and Association for a Pet Adoption Center, the dogs are embarking on a new life with a foster family, a strategy the association and shelter officials hope will benefit everyone involved - particularly the animals.

By putting selected animals in foster homes, organizers believe there will be more room in the shelter, which translates to more time for other animals to get adopted.

In the meantime, the fostered animals will be happier, better adjusted and better behaved, which benefits both them and the future families, said Marianne Moon, vice president of APAC and