Animal Welfare Professionals

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  • 1.  Dog And Cat Enrichment Ideas/ Volunteer Ideas

    Posted 03-22-2022 02:11 PM
    My shelter is looking for new ideas for in kennel animal enrichment, share your favorite and easiest managed enrichment ideas outside of kongs. 


    Also, what are some creative ideas you are doing with your volunteers? I want to do a Hiking with Hounds pack walk once per month as a little fun refresh. I would love to hear what other shelters are doing.
    #Behavior,TrainingandEnrichment
    #CommunityCatManagement
    #PeopleManagement(includingVolunteerIntegration)

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    Sarah Garcia
    Pasadena Animal Shelter
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  • 2.  RE: Dog And Cat Enrichment Ideas/ Volunteer Ideas

    Posted 03-22-2022 02:17 PM
    Hi Sarah!

    We use frisbees that have a hole and a carabiner attached so we can smear PB and hang on kennels.  We also fill paper lunch sacks (or toilet paper tubes) with kibble and toss into kennels on various days. Another item is to make oatmeal/pb balls and freeze them.  These are all great opportunities for school groups to do for you as service hours (if you have the space to hold them).

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    amy-jo sites
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    Original Message


  • 3.  RE: Dog And Cat Enrichment Ideas/ Volunteer Ideas

    Posted 03-23-2022 12:32 PM
    Hi Sarah,

    We have a list of different enrichment ideas for volunteers. They include; snuffle mats, licki mats, nose work exercises, quiet time or reading aloud, puzzle toys and name game. We keep a list of these ideas in our volunteer room with instructions on how to facilitate each one and what supplies are needed. 

    As for field trips, we do allow that from time to time with particular dogs and approved volunteers. We live in an area with a lot of trails, which leads to a lot of dogs off leash, so we carefully select the dogs that can go out on field trip outings.

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    Erin Ellis
    Community Engagement Director
    Humane Society of Truckee-Tahoe

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    Foster Program & Volunteer Management Specialist
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    Original Message


  • 4.  RE: Dog And Cat Enrichment Ideas/ Volunteer Ideas

    Posted 03-23-2022 01:39 PM
    I volunteer with cats. We do have snuffle mats and ice cube trays for treats, but I like the idea of filling toilet paper rolls with a few Temptations for cats in the small kennels where the other things might take too much space. We also offer small pinches of catnip for olfactory enrichment. And being in the Tucson desert the cats love mesquite bean pods (they rattle, are non-toxic, and have interesting smells) when our trees offer them.

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    Carol Garr
    Pima Animal care Center
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    Original Message


  • 5.  RE: Dog And Cat Enrichment Ideas/ Volunteer Ideas

    Posted 03-23-2022 04:01 PM
    Hi Sarah!

    Check out this "Enrichment Ideas" post from a few years ago. It has a lot of shared enrichment ideas, suggestions and resources including one of my favorites, the Boredom Buster Program!

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    Kim Domerofski (she/her)
    Community Manager
    Maddie's Fund
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    Original Message


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