Orange County Animal Services: Dog Field Trip/Short-Term Fostering Grant Report
How did this grant help your organization and the pets in your care?
Field trips (and sleepovers) for dogs at our shelter have become a wonderful lifeline for dogs in our care. Getting them out of their kennels and out into the world to socialize helps them more than most people realize. We were able to use these grant funds to purchase items that help with our Dog Day Out (field trips) program: sturdy leashes, harnesses, "Adopt Me!" vests, "Adopt Me" bandanas, toys, and treats that help train/reward these very good dogs. These items help to promote the dogs and let people know they are available for adoption, all while helping the dogs exercise and receive valuable enrichment outside of our shelter.
This grant was very helpful to our organization! We have a very limited budget for Dog Day Out supplies, but we must maintain this program to ensure the health and welfare of the animals in our care. We are so grateful for the support of the Petfinder Foundation!
How many pets did this grant help?
200
Please provide a story of one or more specific pets this grant helped.
Princess (first photo) waited to be adopted for more than four months in 2025. She had some medical problems when she arrived and needed help from a specialist outside of our shelter. She overcame her medical issues and started going out on field trips to learn how to socialize and enjoy more enrichment time outside of her kennel. She was able to let her true personality shine and show everyone how wonderful she is.
She eventually found a wonderful foster family that helped her find her forever family. They took the attached “Gotcha Day” photo at our shelter on her adoption day, and we could not be more excited for Princess and her new people!
Wade (second and third photos) was at our shelter for three months before he was adopted. He needed to learn some training and socialization before he was ready to be adopted, and our Dog Day Out program was vital in helping him learn and blossom to become the best boy ever. He was food-motivated, so special treats helped with training while he was on field trips. He went on many adventures and always impressed his adventure buddies! We were able to document his progress and show that he was a handsome, good boy.
Someone drove from out of state to adopt him and we’re so excited for him and his new family! If you’d like to see it, here is a YouTube video from one of his amazing Dog Day Out adventures (he’s wearing his “Adopt Me” vest and meeting other animals on a farm):
