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Spokane Humane Society: Play Yard Renovation Grant Report

How did this grant help your organization and the pets in your care?

This grant will be used to renovate the main play yards used by our team for our playgroups, which are guided by the protocols of Dogs Playing for Life.

We have had a delay in expending the funds due to staff changes. Our facilities manager unexpectedly resigned his position and a new executive director was delayed in starting with our organization. Now, freezing weather will delay the completion of the project until the spring.

This grant will help us exercise the dogs in our care. It will provide a safe, cleaner place for them to play and give our volunteers who supervise them a more pleasant environment.

How many pets did this grant help?

This grant will help hundreds of pets.

Please provide a story of one or more specific pets this grant helped.

The Play Yard Renovation Grant will help us install irrigation and grass in our two main play yards used for Dogs Playing for Life playgroups. Theodore (first photo) is one of the dogs that would benefit from a cleaner play yard. Theodore was surrendered to us on July 10, 2021, and was described as dog-selective. DPFL-trained volunteers evaluated him and slowly introduced him to our play group, where they discovered that he was actually great with other dogs. The DPFL notes say that he is super patient, he’s a greeter/helper, he’s social, he plays gently and daintily, and that he’s a sweet dog!

This is why we love DPFL: It helps us see a dog’s personality in ways the previous owner couldn’t. This is a vitally important program to our adoption program and having a proper surface for the playgroups will allow the program to flourish. You can meet Theodore here.

Another one of the dogs who enjoys playgroups is Missy (second photo). From her Petfinder profile: “I’m a love bug! I want to be your adventure buddy. My medium-size is packed with athleticism, and I am ready to accompany you on walks and other adventures. In fact, I think I would make an excellent hiking partner. Are you ready for some exercise? I sure am!” You can meet Missy here.

From Facebook: “Our shelter dogs love the Dogs Playing for Life program where they get to stretch their legs and remember what it’s like just to be a dog again! We have amazing volunteers who make this happen four days a week. They have completed training programs so they can help these doggos live their best lives at the shelter, get the socialization they need and find out more about them and how they interact with other dogs. It truly is a masterpiece in dog behavior analysis run solely by dedicated volunteers!

“Before it begins, a lead volunteer analyzes each shelter dog and finds out which ones would belong in the ‘ruff & rowdy’ playgroup and which ones like to hang out, sniff around and just spend time in the fresh air. The ‘ruff & rowdy’ like to play hard and get all their energy out so they can better enjoy their days in their kennels and have a better kennel presence. With all the cooped-up energy in their kennels, they sometimes can seem like too much to handle, when all they really need is some space to run and play, then are ready to snuggle up and rest!

“This program is extremely vital to getting to know our dogs and helping potential owners choose their perfect match. Plus, it helps the dogs live healthier and better lives at the shelter. We wanted to thank the volunteers who make this happen in the early hours of the morning and can’t wait to share more about the program!”

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