Scrappy, a lovable and social dog, exhibited a new behavior that worried us at the Aiken County Animal Shelter (ACAS). This dog, who loves people, stopped coming to us in the play yard. We called him but he just ran away and sat as far from us as possible. You can imagine how this would make a potential adopter feel (totally unwanted). But then the volunteers and staff realized Scrappy wasn’t being anti-social at all. He just didn’t want to go back in his kennel. He was tired of watching and waiting for his turn as other dogs played in the grass and fetched tennis balls. So, he was trying to dodge us!
I decided that he needed time away. So, I walked to the gate closest to my car and said “Scrappy, car ride!” He ignored me until I started my car and opened the door. He got excited and ran to me. We drove around and he lay down on the back seat, still holding the tennis ball in his mouth. He relaxed and dropped the ball, put his head down and closed his eyes. How sad! He was exhausted from the stress at the shelter (loud barking, trucks and cars in the parking lots, kennel doors closing).
Scrappy woke up when we pulled up to McDonald’s for a treat. Between us, I don’t think our amazing veterinary team would appreciate me getting him chicken nuggets. But would a couple of nuggets really be that big of a deal? I explained to Scrappy that what happens in my car stays in my car – and no throwing up the evidence. I laughed, he drooled.
When we got back to the shelter, he happily went to his kennel to drink some water and take a nap. What only took me a half hour made his entire day better! Now when he sees my car, he pulls me to the door. I can’t give him junk food every time, so we go to Citizens Park for a quick walk or a car ride with the windows down. The point is, he doesn’t care where we go. He just wants one-on-one time away from the shelter.
We call this our Doggie Days Out program and we are asking you to try it. If you live in Aiken County, call the ACAS to make an appointment to pick up a dog, (803) 642-1537, ext. 5. When you arrive to pick up the dog, we have a super short form to fill out.
Even better, how about a Doggie Night Out, also known as “Can I Crash on Your Couch?” You can borrow a shelter dog for an overnight and let them catch up on real sleep. It is so rewarding! If you don’t have a pet or you don’t have time for one, this is perfect! All it takes is completing an application and we will give you a flea-free, sweet, and grateful dog.
Please take an hour out of your week, or even a night, and make a shelter dog happy!
Their lives are in our hands.
— By Kathy Jacobs, FOTAS Programs Coordinator
