Scratch This: Out on the town with a shelter hound!

The daily lives of dogs in shelters are a combination of boredom and stress, interrupted only by a couple of welcome daily breaks for walks and playtime with their favorite people, the shelter volunteers. In October, the staff at Long Beach Animal Care Services came up with a creative way to ease doggie doldrums and for volunteers to help them practice life skills such as getting in and out of a vehicle without freaking out or not knocking over a display of dog toys in a pet-supply store.

The program, Fido Field Trips, invites intermediate- and higher-level volunteers to take shelter dogs on brief on-leash outings into the community. They give the dogs a break from kennel stress and let volunteers observe their real-world behavior. That’s valuable information for interested adopters as well as an opportunity to fine-tune doggie behavior.

“They can go anywhere that’s relatively safe,” said LBACS’ volunteer coordinator, Matt Yniguez. “Volunteers can take them to the store, to the Zoom Room on Willow Street. In-N Out makes no-salt patties they can get for the dog! Some volunteers just want to get the dog out. It’s the mental stimulation that we’re looking for.”

For everyone’s safety, the dogs won’t visit places where they’d encounter dogs off leash, such as dog parks.

“Our dogs are on leash the entire time,” Yniguez said. “They also won’t do dog-to-dog intros. they’re out in public, we can’t have someone come up and instantly pet the dog. A volunteer can tell them all about them, where they can find information about them, though. We have to abide by our safety rules.”

 Yniguez got the idea for Fido Field Trips from a similar program he worked with during his employment at Best Friends Animal Society.

“It’s a really good program,” he said. “It’s great to de-stress the dogs as a break from the kennel, and it’s good for volunteer bonding. It also gives us an idea of how the dog will do outside the kennel.”

Yniguez said that several shelters have similar programs, which became obvious when the staff was brainstorming ideas for names and discovered, after a look online, the number of doggie day-outs that were actually named Doggie Day Out. LBACS’ administrative analyst (and creative mind extraordinaire, said Dr. Melanie Wagner, the shelter director), Marie Anne Villanueva, came up with Fido Field Trip, and they were off and running, on leash, of course.

Yniguez cited relief from shelter stress in general as the main goal of Fido Field Trips.

“Dogs in shelters are surrounded by a bunch of dogs they don’t know,” he said. “There are weird smells, strangers walking by their kennel all the time. It’s not at all conducive to a dog having a less-stressful life. I think studies show that if dogs do just an overnight or just are out for a while, it lowers the cortisol level in their brain. So, programs like this where they can get out of the kennel for a while are important for their mental well-being. It helps the entire shelter population if they all have lower stress.”

Yniguez said that one of the first things volunteers work on is the doggie driving test.

“There are certain dogs that just enjoy a car ride and get excited when they’re going to get into a car,” Yniguez said. “But sometimes, we have a dog ready to be adopted, and then when he’s ready to go into the adopter’s car, he’ll put the brakes on. Now, we can get them to the point that getting into a car is associated in their brains with a fun activity.”

“I did three [Fido Field Trips] the first time I did them,” volunteer Stefanie said. “I wasn’t sure about the car, and usually when I do something in the car, I test them out first. So, for those three, I decided to start simple for me and the dogs. We walked from here into El Dorado Park and to the store at spcaLA. They’re really welcoming to letting the dogs sniff around.”

Patriot, by the way, recently got adopted into a lucky family. He happily got into their vehicle for the trip home. However, Magpie and Sedonia are still available. Find adoption information here.

Stefanie sees the Fido Field Trips as opportunities to see how shelter behavior differs from real-world behavior.

“They act differently when they’re out and about,” she said. “Sedonia gets really jumpy and excited in the shelter, but she’s more reserved when she gets out in the world. It gives people a good idea when they come in and want to do a meet-and-greet. We can tell them, she was great in the car, or she’s a little reserved and shy.”

LBACS adoptions coordinator Bri Basgall said that the Field Trips are not only opportunities for the dogs to decompress but also can lure the public to the shelter.

“People think, what’s going on there?” she said. “And that brings an opportunity for them to get some information, some education about what we’ve got going on at the shelter.”

Stefanie noted the difference between Fido Field Trips and regular adoption events.

 “Events are like, you’re trying to market the dogs,” she said. “But a field trip is a great experience for the handler and the dog — it’s more like learning about the dog. It’s a positive, out-in-the-world experience.”

Yniguez is thankful that the volunteers support the program and have so much fun with it.

“They’re so dedicated—they’re the backbone of shelters,” he said.

But he was quick to note that, although the dogs benefit from the outings and are calm for a while, the effect wears off and the cortisol level spikes upward again.

“Dogs aren’t made for long-term housing in a kennel,” he said.

That’s where you come in. Those dogs worked hard on those real-world skills, and they’re ready to apply them permanently.

YOURS DROOLY

Last week’s Scratch This described the battle that shelters, rescues and animal-welfare activists continuously fight to get rid of mass puppy mills and prevent individual unlicensed breeders from selling possibly sick and genetically defective dogs to customers who think they’re getting purebreds (they’re not). Many of the dogs bought from these breeders suffer and die from birth defects resulting from overbreeding or from diseases like parvo, which is expensive to treat and can lead to the animal’s death if not treated.

These dogs are often dumped in streets or taken to shelters. If they’re really, really lucky, though, they wind up with Sherri Stankewitz and her staff and volunteers at the Fix Project’s Parvo ICU in Central Long Beach. The clinic has saved many lives — sadly, lost a few, too, because of the advanced progression of the conditions.

These pets are healed and waiting at Stankewitz’s rescue (the woman never stops, because if she did, she’d collapse), Sparky and the Gang. They owe their lives to Stankewitz and her staff and volunteers. Now, they need a forever future. Access this link for the adoption process and even more pets.

Hope, a German shepherd/border collie mix, was rescued from an inland shelter after being attacked in an overcrowded kennel. She did nothing to defend herself — at 10 months old, she’s just a puppy and only wanted love and acceptance from people and other dogs. One of her ears had to be removed because of the attack. Hope is a gentle, loving soul whom the volunteers and staff love very much and know she’ll get the best forever home.

Boston, a 5-month old pointer/Dalmatian mix, was left at Long Beach Animal Care Services. He’d contracted parvo and would have been euthanized, but one of the staff members contacted The Fix Parvo ICU, and they welcomed him and saved his life. He made a speedy recovery and will live a long, happy, parvo-free life. The kennel attendants and volunteers love Boston and do their best to socialize him and give him playtime. Boston dreams of a yard, children, toys, Netflix — all the things every puppy deserves. He’s very active and is great with other dogs and people.

Oh, yes, Sparky and the Gang takes in cats, too! This is a partial family photo of kittens and Momcat whom the Gang took from someone who was going to leave them in a box in the desert because he didn’t want them anymore (Stankewitz said that the temperature was 106 and they likely wouldn’t have survived). They did, thanks to Sparky and the Gang, and now, they’d like to live. They do well with dogs and love to play. Individual photos are on the rescue page.

TAIL-WAGGIN' AND NOSE-BOOPIN' EVENTS

Helen Sanders CatPAWS Le Chic Chat Soirée Silent Auction

Le Chic Chat Soirée, presented by Helen Sanders CatPAWS, has sold out! But you can still do a win-win for the cats in CatPaws’ care and for yourself by bidding on the items in the silent auction — stuff to tickle your inner kitten, curl up with for a luxury event, and maybe even knock off a shelf. Remember, all proceeds go toward food, boarding, vaccines, spay/neuter and medical care when needed and also to CatPAWS’ mobile spay/neuter clinic!

Check out the goodies here! Bidding ends 7 p.m., Nov. 23.

 Locals-Only Art Show at Cool Cat Collective

The Cool Cat Collective is part shop, part gallery and all-cat dedicated, including to the adoptable cats in their little play area. Cool Cat is using art to help local cats find homes for the holidays with its first open-submissions, all-ages art show that features artwork from a wide range of artists depicting adoptable cats from non-profit 501(c)3 animal rescues located in Los Angeles County or Orange County. All proceeds from sales will be donated to the rescue organizations where the featured cats are located.

Little Lion Foundation’s Whiskers in Wonderland

It’s beginning to look a lot like Christmas, and The Little Lion Foundation is putting on a do for you on the water! Share an evening filled with fun, compassion and the joy of making a difference in otherwise hopeless little lives. Enjoy whisker-licking hors d’oeuvres and drinks, play Pick a Prize, with dozens of kitten-themed prizes; sign up for the silent auction; and go for a Duffy Boat ride — you can bat at the fishies in the bay. Meet some of the adorable Little Lions who’ll benefit from the proceeds to get the care and nurturing they need to have a good, happy life in a forever home! Can’t attend? Bid on the silent auction here!

Whiskers in Wonderland takes place Sunday, Dec. 1, 4 p.m.–7 p.m. at Boathouse on the Bay, 190 N. Marina Dr., Long Beach. Tickets are $76.54, Duffy Boat rides $28.52, all available here.

Need a low-cost veterinarian, information about trapping community cats, places to volunteer — anything pet related? Follow this link for resources. Please add your own ideas in the Comments section.