Regular Walks Help Shelter Dogs Become More Adoptable

From the AdoptApet.com newsletter...

A recent study in the Journal of Veterinary Behavior focused on shelter dogs in Vienna, Austria.   Their goal?  To find out what would increase the chances for  long-term shelter dogs getting adopted.  It turns out they were able to conclude and prove that socialization and basic training were found to significantly improve the chance for adoption; however time constraints often do not allow most shelter staff to engage in additional activities with the animals.   

The Vienna Shelter tried to come up with a way to help their animals anyway.   They created a ‘‘sponsors of care’’ program designed for each shelter dog to be matched with a sponsor who would be responsible for taking the dog on regular walks.   The shelter even created a training program with a professional trainer for the sponsors to attend, and offered supervision when difficulties arose.

Over the years since this program began in 2003, the number of sponsors working with dogs has increased, many sponsors ended up adopting their shelter dog, and best of all as a result of this program, the number of long-term stays was reduced from 26% to 12% by 2009!  This study proves that taking shelter dogs for walks significantly increases their quality of life as well as their chances for adoption.  

If you're in need of dog-walkers to help your dogs get movin', use Adopt-a-Pet.com's volunteer database to find passionate tennis-shoe -wearing folks who are more than willing to hoof it and woof it so that your dogs can become more adoptable, too!  Click here to find volunteers near you!

Want to walk our dogs? Send an email to cyndi@nokillarc.org.

Food stand at Arms Show, Feb 19 & 20

We may have a food stand Feb 19 and 20 at the Eagle Arms Show at the Bloomsburg Fairgrounds (map). Stop on by for our tasty treats.
http://www.eaglearms.com/



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Most Recent Construction at ARC

View from up on high

View from down below

View of the snow!

     ARC's newly constructed pole building will have the capability to house 17 more dogs, in addition to the 8 currently used kennels. The new building will also contain another cat/kitten room, grooming/bathing room, office, bathroom, waiting/reception room, isolation area for incoming dogs, cat/dog showroom, storage spaces, laundry room, and kitchen area to prepare animals food and meds.
     Although the "shell" of the building is already constructed, it will take more than a year or two and thousands of dollars in donations to complete.
     To help ARC with its mission of sheltering and rehoming our community's unloved and homeless animals, please send donations to Animal Resource Center in care of our President:

Linda Bird
301 A Boone Rd
Bloomsburg PA 17815

Thank you!

Click here to see our original post from when we first started back in 2008.

Sled Dog Slaughter

This is just horrible!


After bookings for their Dogsled Tours slumped following the Winter Olympics, Outdoor Adventures Whistler ordered a decrease in the size of the company's dog pack. When a vet refused to euthanize the healthy animals, an employee took the culling into his own hands, using a gun and a mass grave.

Many dogs needed to be shot twice, and there are reports that some were buried alive. 

The British Columbia SPCA is investigating the case. These beautiful animals deserve justice for what happened to them.

Join us in making sure this tragedy never happens again. » 

Missouri voters approved the Puppy Mill Cruelty Prevention Act

Other states are acting. What about you in yours?

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This past November, Missouri voters approved the Puppy Mill Cruelty Prevention Act, a citizen's initiative to protect puppy mill dogs from cruel and inhumane conditions.  Unfortunately, lawmakers have filed legislation to overturn the initiative (Proposition B) and thwart the voters will. If this act by the legislature isn't stopped not only will the cruel and inhumane treatment of puppy mill dogs continue, but the voice of hundreds of thousands of Missouri voters will have been silenced.

We cannot let this happen many thousands of dogs are depending on Prop B.  I am writing to ask you to take just a moment to contact your elected officials and speak out against this.  Please let your elected officials know that voters in Missouri have spoken and they want to protect dogs in puppy mills. The legislature should not interfere with Proposition B. 


Click here to learn more and take action:
http://my.yesonpropb.com/o/17003/p/dia/action/public/?action_KEY=5

Care2 Action Alert - Lacey

Help Convict Lacey's Abuser    Lacey, a seven pound mixed breed, was found tied up in her owner's backyard. She was in terrible shape, having been beaten with a golf club and sprayed with bleach. This crime, along with similar animal abuses, needs to be taken seriously. Unfortunately though, animal abuse laws are not always strong enough, and it's easy for people like Lacey's owner to get away their crimes. That's why one Care2 member started a petition to demand justice for Lacey. Below is a message from the petition's author: With this petition on behalf of Lacey, we hope to give law enforcement, police and the District Attorney's office an idea of how the public feels about such acts of violence towards animals. We also hope to raise awareness of the link between these crimes and other types of violent crimes. Please consider signing this petition. If you would like to sign the petition or learn more, click here. » Thanks for making a difference! Samer ThePetitionSite

Take action link: http://www.care2.com/go/z/e/AgbSB/zKZP/AvzNh