Shelter animals are cooped up most of the day, many too nervous to show their true colors to potential adopters. AÂ recent partnership between local business, Adventure Pet, and the Nevada Humane Society aims to fast track those adoptions by showing the pups' true personalities.
Diaz Dixon, Chief Executive Officer at NHS explains, "It's hard to determine what a dog's personality is like when you're just looking at it behind the cage." Troy Herrera, Owner of Adventure Pet adds, "Things like barking or jumping at the fence...just doesn't show well for them when, in most cases, that's not their true personality."
First, dogs are behavioral tested at the shelter. Eligible pups get to go out on an adventure on Friday mornings. Herrera says, "An employee comes over, picks up a dog and takes them on their own excursion; so this way, owners can see the dogs out in nature, having a good time."
They dogs are free to frolic and roam as they please, but with a GPS tracking collar for safety. The team snaps photos and videos on the trip, posting them on their Facebook page for potential adopters who want to see how the dogs act, in a natural setting.Â
The ideal scenario for the team is to take the excursion in the morning, and find the pups a 'Furever Home' by that same night; which Herrera says has happened on several occasions.
The program has been successful so far. In fact, six out of the seven dogs taken out for adventures, have already been adopted. The program is still in its infancy--about two months in.
The team is working on a system where each "Adventure Pet Certified" dog will have a badge and QR code on its kennel card. Potential adopters can scan that code and pull up the videos taken on their excursions. Â
If you'd like to learn more about the program you can visit the Adventure Pet website here, or the Nevada Humane Society's website, here.Â
NHS is also always looking for volunteers, if you'd like to help out, click here.Â
