Stressbuster: Canine Sleepovers

How does your shelter provide alternatives to traditional cages or kennels for the dogs in your care? Here’s a clever idea to reduce stress for shelter dogs, especially those who have been in the shelter for a long-term stay, without entirely removing them from the adoption floor.
Who:
Humane Society of Boulder Valley, Boulder, CO
Did What:
Shelter staff and trained volunteers at Humane Society of Boulder Valley regularly take dogs home for canine sleepovers. This is a great way to provide mental relief from the high-stress environment of the shelter, maintain physical and emotional health and acclimate the dogs to a home environment so they’re ready for adoption.
Now You Try It
Be sure to hang up some fun signage like they do at Humane Society of Boulder Valley. The message above is very easy for the public to understand, and lets those who handle animal inventory know where the dog is.
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