At many animal shelters, dogs are not allowed to leave the facility until they are adopted.
But in Walla Walla, rescue dogs are getting a chance to explore the outside world, thanks to the Blue Mountain Humane Society's “Pawsitive Adventure” program, which began a year ago.
Several days a week, volunteers take their dogs on field trips to wineries, coffee shops, trails and more.
“It's great to take the dogs out to the shelter, but this is a whole different experience,” said Bonnie Theriault, a frequent volunteer. “You get to see the dogs relax.” They get to sniff, socialize and “just be dogs,” she said.
Blue Mountain Humane Society volunteers Bonnie Theriault (left) and Machelle Corrigan (right) lead dogs on the bridge over Mill Creek (Photo by Steve Lentz/Blue Mountain Humane Society)
Nationwide, fewer animals are entering shelters this year than the past two years, but many shelters are still full, according to the nonprofit Shelter Animals Count, which reports that 322,000 more animals will enter shelters in 2024 than will leave them.
At Blue Mountain Humane Society, cats and small dogs sell quickly. This is not the case for larger dogs. Some dogs at Blue Mountain have been there for over a year.
“Our kennels are almost always full,” said Deanne Barr Valen, the shelter's CEO, “and because they're larger dogs, it's much harder to find them homes. They end up staying there for a very long time.”
Volunteers check to see if the dogs are comfortable with stairs, bikes, loud noises, etc. All of that information is passed on to potential adopters. (Photo by Steve Lentz/Blue Mountains Humane Society)
Staying in a shelter for more than a few weeks can wreak havoc on a dog's mental well-being, Barr-Valen said, and the Pawsitive Adventures program focuses on those long-term dogs, giving them a chance to de-stress.
The program also serves as a marketing tool: Volunteers take plenty of photos during site visits, which the shelter shares on social media. For prospective families, seeing a dog sitting in a winery instead of in a cage makes it easier to imagine the dog as a part of their lives.
Participating in Pawsitive Adventures helps the shelter learn more about each dog, Ver Valen said. “That way, when we talk to potential adopters, we can give them more information: 'Oh, these dogs love to play ball, they love to swim, they're really interested in water,' or 'We took them to the cafe in town and they did great.'”
Betsy enjoys a Pup Cup in downtown Walla Walla. (Photo by Steve Lentz/Blue Mountain Humane Society)
This helps attract potential adopters and increases the success rate: “The more we know about the dog, the better we can match them with the right family,” says Barr-Valen, and several dogs have already found their lifelong families during site visits.
Although the dogs enjoy the program the most, the volunteers love it too.
Karen Maxwell also volunteers with the Pawsitive Adventures program, which often visits the city of Walla Walla after hiking the trails. (Photo by Steve Lentz/Blue Mountain Humane Society)
“My favorite volunteer days are the ones with Pawsitive Adventures,” said regular volunteer Machelle Corrigan. “When I let the dogs outside, they stop barking and are much calmer. I get to see their true personalities better.”
Karen Maxwell, another regular volunteer, agreed. “That's just the way they are when they're here,” she said.
