MCPAWS Regional Animal Shelter: Dog Field Trip/Short-Term Fostering Grant Report

How did this grant help your organization and the pets in your care?

These grant funds were used to purchase backpacks for dogs, collapsible water bowls, stainless water bottles, poop-bag dispensers, poop-bag refills, and "Adopt Me" leash sleeves. These items set our volunteers up for successful outings with our shelter dogs. These items have improved our Dog Day Out program at MCPAWS.

This program has been a huge hit with our volunteers and in our community. We have had several new volunteers sign up to take dogs out on outings. The feedback and photos we get back from these volunteers have been excellent. We can better inform the community about the dogs' behaviors and create more exposure for them around town.

The two main ways it has helped the shelter: an increase in volunteer/foster interest and making our dogs more adoptable, and letting us become better-informed about their behavior so they are placed in quality homes that best suit them. It has been wonderful!

How many pets did this grant help?

100+

Please provide a story of one or more specific pets this grant helped.

Ahsoka was a sweet pit bull mix who was often overlooked at MCPAWS — that is, until she went on a Dog Day Out. She was great during her walks and hikes with our volunteer, who was kind enough to send us great photos (first three photos) and a lovely update. We posted these photos on social media and updated Ahsoka’s profile with how well she did, and shortly after that, she was adopted (fourth photo).

These Dog Day Out photos show the dogs in the best light. They are always so excited and proud in the pictures. Also, we appreciate getting real knowledge of what they behave like when they are on hikes, walking around town, and being exposed to people and animals in the real world. This provides a great amount of insight. I really think it helps them find homes.