Since 2016, the Department of Kinesiology at East Carolina University has partnered with Pitt County Animal Services on a shelter dog walking class. The popular service-learning course aims to empower students to become active citizens and increase their fitness levels, while the dogs get exercise and the shelter gains positive exposure in the community. Read on for a quick overview of how the program works and tips for starting something similar. For a deeper dive, listen to the recorded webinar (just 30 minutes!), one of many in The Association’s Innovation Bank of bright ideas, research and inspiration from your colleagues in the field.

Some shelters say people are returning their 'COVID pets' as they go back to work. Here are more compassionate things to do before considering that option.

t’s no secret that a year and change of various levels of lockdown and COVID-19 mitigation measures have been difficult for pretty much everyone, especially parents, as we have all been forced to stay inside without seeing most of our friends and extended family members for over a year.

Are shelters stressful for dogs? If your answer to the above question is a resounding yes, you’re right. And there’s science to back it up. There are many studies, for example, on the impact of excessive noise in shelters. While loud noise above 120 decibels can cause immediate harm to human ears, consider that dogs in shelters are exposed to 125 dBs on a regular basis. A 2012 study, in fact, found significant damage to shelter dogs’ hearing.

It all begins with an idea.

It all begins with an idea.