\u201cIt\u2019s a great way to not only get the dogs out, but also get ourselves out,\u201d said Bret Koster, a volunteer with the Humane Society who organizes Mutts in the Mountains.<\/p>\n
Chris Nelson, director of Animal Services for the Humane Society, said the program has been around for at least a decade, and it has grown in popularity over the years.<\/p>\n
Typically, Humane Society staff will conduct behavior assessments of new dogs at the shelter, looking at how they get along with other canines in the play yard and how they interact with people.<\/p>\n
Then, staff will give Nelson and Koster a list of the dogs they think would be best for a day of hiking, which happens about one Saturday a month from 9 a.m. to noon.<\/p>\n \u201cIt\u2019s great for the dogs to get out and be seen and get some exercise,\u201d Nelson said.<\/p>\n To take a dog on the group hike, people have to go through the process to become a volunteer dog walker at the Humane Society, which involves a meet-and-greet with staff and an informational orientation.<\/p>\n \u201cThen you\u2019re good to go,\u201d Koster said.<\/p>\n The hikes have huge health benefits for the dogs, Nelson said.<\/p>\n \u201cKennel stress is something we fight from the beginning when a dog arrives,\u201d he said.<\/p>\n Nelson said getting out on a hike helps relieve that stress and goes a long way in keeping the animal\u2019s immune system strong. The exercise wears the dogs out, and it\u2019s markedly quieter at the shelter after a day of Mutts in the Mountains.<\/p>\n Koster said he can recall only one or two people who adopted a dog they took out on the hike. Instead, far more dogs get adopted by other people hiking on the trail.<\/p>\n \u201cWe talk to everyone on the trail and tell them about the program and introduce the dogs,\u201d he said. \u201cA lot of times, we\u2019ll put scarves on the dogs that say \u2018Adopt Me.\u2019\u201d<\/p>\n Group sizes are capped at seven volunteers and seven dogs, Koster said. Typical hikes are at Horse Gulch, Junction Creek or Animas Mountain.<\/p>\n \u201cIt\u2019s just nice to meet the people, and every time, we\u2019re taking out different dogs,\u201d he said.<\/p>\n Steve Parker and his wife, Geni Miller, became volunteer dog walkers at the shelter about a year ago. A few weeks ago, the couple partook in their first Mutts in the Mountain hike at Horse Gulch.<\/p>\n \u201cIt was a great day,\u201d Parker said. \u201cAnd the dogs just had a marvelous time.\u201d<\/p>\n Nelson said Mutts in the Mountains is just one example of forward-thinking, out-of-the-box programs the Humane Society offers.<\/p>\n \u201cI\u2019ve been here 17 years, and it has evolved so much during that time,\u201d he said. \u201cWe\u2019re always trying to come up with new, progressive ideas for enrichment, not just for the dogs, but for people in our community as well.\u201d<\/p>\n For example, the Humane Society offers low-cost spaying and neutering, and even medical loans for people who can\u2019t afford a visit to a veterinarian. And, the shelter offers a courtesy hold for animals for people in emergency situations.<\/p>\n Also, the Humane Society has a \u201cRead to a Dog\u201d program, where volunteers take a dog to a school and have children with learning disabilities read to the animals.<\/p>\n \u201cKids read to them, and the dogs don\u2019t judge if they mess up on their readings,\u201d Nelson said \u201cThey\u2019re great listeners.\u201d<\/p>\n Nelson said the next Mutts in the Mountains is scheduled for January, rain, snow or shine. Anyone interested can contact the Humane Society\u2019s volunteer coordinator, Carolyn at carolyn@lpchumanesociety.org<\/a> or call 259-2847, ext. 108.<\/p>\n