These dogs have been at metro-east shelter for years. Want to take them on a field trip?
A handsome dog named James Earl Bones, an enthusiastic boxer, has been at Gateway Pet Guardians for two years.
His friend, Sugar, has been there even longer, albeit on-and-off.
Staff at the East St. Louis pet shelter try to take them out as much as they can, but with so many animals in their care, finding the enrichment they need is a challenge.
A new “field trip” program hopes to fix that.
“The dogs just love to get out and run,” said Alisha Vianello, Executive Director of Gateway Pet Guardians. “This will be a great opportunity to get them some time out of the kennel and maybe bring some attention to what we’re doing here.”
The program, Dog’s Day Out, seeks to link dog owners with animals in the shelter for short outings, like going to parks, pet stores, “sniff spots,” or short trips.
“You can take them to the park, on a hike, to Home Depot, whatever,” Vianello said. “You can just show up, sign a waiver, and take them on an outing for an hour, five hours, or a ‘sleepover.’”
The “sleepover” component of the program allows people to take a dog on an overnight trip, whether it be at home or on an overnight outing. The shelter is usually near capacity. With other local shelters pressed for space and recent intake numbers on the rise, there is a heightened need for pet fostering in the metro-east.
But fostering takes a commitment that some might find financially, emotionally or obligatorily demanding.
Vianello says the new program is a great way for people to test out potential dogs without the burden of having to go through the foster program first.
“You can take them for a quick sleepover to see how it goes, and if it goes well, you can extend or foster to own,” she said. “If you have other dogs at home, you never know how they’ll react to a new addition, so this is the best way to find out without fostering.”
The program also seeks to harness the power of social media to increase adoption numbers. Field trippers and sleepover participants can post photos of the dog and tag the facility, and if someone ends up adopting the dog, they receive a discounted adoption fee.
“It’s a great way to market these animals to the public without the fear of fostering, and it’s also really, really good for these animals to get out for some time. Any time that front door opens, the dogs just get so excited to go out and have some fun.”
The new program starts next Monday. To set up a field trip or sleepover, contact Gateway Pet Guardians through their email, fieldtrips@gatewaypets.org, text them at 314-399-9738, or visit their East St. Louis location at 725 North St.
