Hallie Glennie leads our dog playgroups at the Aiken County Animal Shelter. Along with staff members Bob, Lisa and Ricardo, she does an amazing job making sure our shelter dogs have opportunities to play, socialize and burn off energy through a program called Dogs Playing for Life.
Recently, Hallie has been training for a race in her free time and had an idea. Why not take a shelter dog along for a run?
What started as a simple idea turned into something pretty special.
Not only did Hallie get to know the dogs better through one-on-one time, but she also captured wonderful photos and videos of dogs simply being happy!
We have a great program at the shelter called Doggy Day Out, where people can “check out” a shelter dog, much like a library book, for an hour or two.
You can take a dog to the park, stop for a pup cup, enjoy a leisurely walk or even just go for a relaxing car ride.
For some dogs, though, a good run is just what they need!
And here’s something else we love about Doggy Days Out. We learn so much about our dogs when they are away from the shelter.
A dog that seems overly energetic in a kennel might relax after a nice walk. A shy dog might blossom with some quiet attention. And a sad dog might suddenly come alive when given the chance to explore!
Take a look at a few of Hallie’s recent adventure buddies.
Zelda is often overlooked by adopters who worry she has too much energy. But there’s so much more to this sweet girl! She loves to cuddle, knows “sit” and “down,” and is housetrained.
A run in the park gave Zelda a wonderful opportunity to burn off some energy and show off her happy personality.
“Briar was so good. He is, however, not a long-distance runner. He prefers a leisurely walk on a loose lead. He was a perfect gentleman in the car and loved rolling in the grass and finding sticks and roots to chew on.”
Sometimes the best adventures aren’t about how far you go!
Apollo was recently surrendered when his owner moved to a smaller place where dogs were not allowed.
He’s been understandably sad and confused by the change in his life.
But seeing Apollo so happy at the park was like watching a dog on vacation!
A Doggy Day Out gives shelter dogs a much-needed break while helping us learn more about their personalities and share their stories with potential adopters.
You don’t have to be a runner like Hallie! A trip to the park, a pup cup or simply spending time together can make a world of difference.
Call the Aiken County Animal Shelter at (803) 642-1537, ext. 3, to arrange a Doggy Day Out.
Their lives are in our hands.