Every animal shelter needs a sister organizations. A place where dogs who need a little extra time, space or attention can go. A place that’s set up for dogs so it can’t be destroyed and a place that’s focused on them so they can get their needs met.
Meet Hawk, this sweet and special guy was transferred to LPCHS for adoption but was unadoptable in the kennel, Anytime we went near him, he was so over-the-top we couldn’t get a leash on him. He’d jump, climb, and mouth us painfully. He’d maul our hands and bodies so much that it took minutes and bloodshed just to get a leash on him.
Hawk was young and so eager for attention that he didn’t know how to ask for it. When potential adopters met him they quickly moved on after struggling with his painful mouth and feet. Of course the more that happened, the less folks attempted to work with him and he got worse. So he was sent to pranaDOGS for some much needed exercise, redirection activities and basic manners.
Hawk spent his first 3 days at pranaDOGS running around in the snow, playing with other dogs and just chilling out. Every time we went to pet him, we put a toy in his mouth. Over and over again. It took 3 days but on day 3 he actually sat still for short periods of time and hadn’t made anyone bleed for 24 hours. Instead of seeing a pup with impulse control issues we were now seeing a lovable pup quick to learn.
With this information we can id the right home for him and have a better chance at setting him up with a lifelong family. Of course, if Hawk is sent back to the shelter environment, he’ll quickly revert to his previous behaviors – which of course caused him to linger and be unadoptable in the first place.
Shelters are made to make looking after dogs and looking for dogs easy but of course they’re not ideal for many dogs and their needs. A sister organization, like pranaDOGS, provides an organization some wiggle room to give dogs the outlet to exercise, gain manners and become adoptable. By setting up a living environment that’s safe for dogs and focuses on their needs, a sister organization can be crucial to a shelter and to saving lives.
