In recognition of National Dog Rescue Day, Wednesday, May 20, the Verde Valley Humane Society hosted its first ever Doggie Daycation and open adoption events to highlight adoptable dogs and give them a break from the shelter environment.
National Dog Rescue Day is observed annually on May 20 to bring awareness to the numerous shelter dogs across the country who are in need of a permanent home. Shelters and rescues nationwide celebrate, and VVHS welcomed members of the community to take a dog out for the day.
Residents were invited to take a dog out for a car ride or hike, get a pup cup or simply spend the afternoon on the couch and out of the shelter. Taking a dog out of the shelter environment helps reduce their stress and gives them time to decompress.
“It gives them a sense of normalcy, so that they can see what the real world is outside of the kennel,” said Melanie Lucas, shelter manager. “It gives them hope in essence that, yes, there is a life outside of where I’m at right now, and it’s a great life.”
Observing the dog out of the shelter environment helps VVHS staff learn more about each animal and gives them better insight as to what they’re like in a home environment. This also provides an opportunity for the dog to get one-on-one attention from someone. While they get a walk and some time in the courtyard at the shelter, it’s not for very long.
“If we can even get them out for a few hours or a few days, it gives them hope,” Lucas said. “It gives the dogs hope that there is something outside of the shelter walls.”
If a resident is considering adopting a certain dog from VVHS, this also provides another avenue to see if they are a good fit.
Open Adoption
VVHS also hosted its first open adoption event where members of the public received a guided walk-through of their dogs with no appointment needed. Residents could walk through the shelter with staff, ask questions, learn about each dog’s personality and see who they connect with. Some of the dogs stayed back from Doggie Daycation, so they were extra excited to meet visitors.
While this was a people-only walk through, VVHS does accommodate scheduled meet-and-greets with potential adopters and their current pets.
“We’re trying to develop new ideas to help all of our residents here, because we’ve got some long-timers,” Lucas said. “We’re trying new, creative ways to let the public know about these awesome dogs, and trying to give our dogs and the public an opportunity to meet and possibly make a match for them.”
Two of those long-timers, Butch and Scrunchie, are larger dogs that have been at the shelter for nearly three years.
“Scrunchie has never had a bad day,” Lucas said. “If you go down to see him, and just look at him, his tail goes a mile a minute from just a glance. I don’t see why he’s still here, but it takes somebody special because he is a big dog.”
While it’s currently kitten season, Lucas added it’s also puppy season. The shelter has nearly 20 puppies. Since staff can’t work with the puppies in a home environment, it’s challenging to train them not to do things like play bite and jump. Lucas said the longer the puppies stay in the shelter without that training, the more difficult it becomes for them to get adopted.
Adoption Park
The shelter broke ground on May 11 for a new adoption park. This will be an area where potential adopters can spend quality time with a dog they are considering adopting. Currently, potential adopters can meet a dog in one of the outdoor runs, but there are other dogs outside nearby and dogs walking in and out of the shelter.
The 850 square foot park will have benches and shade trees that will allow for a more private outdoor space where people can interact more openly with a dog.
“It’s a more comfortable, relaxed introduction,” Lucas said. “The dog will calm down a little bit more outside of the shelter walls, and they’ll see the true personality of the dog better.”
Adopters can also do a meet-and-greet with other dogs in their home to ensure that the animals get along after more than just a few minutes of playtime.
“Allowing prospective adopters to spend some time with an animal outside in a pleasant setting will increase the probability of a successful match,” said VVHS board member Don Dickinson, who was responsible for the project.
A formal ribbon cutting for the park will take place in June. VVHS is seeking another cosponsor for the park, alongside cosponsor ACE Hardware in Cottonwood. A bronze recognition plaque will recognize the sponsors. Anyone interested in being a cosponsor can contact Dickinson at profdld@gmail.com
