(CBS DETROIT) – Regularly, Detroit Animal Care and Control is over capacity.
There are nearly 100 dogs at the shelter at all times, and more than 20 animals are taken in from the streets on any given day.
It’s an unfortunate reality, but one Tamra Talmadge-Anderson is committed to change.
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“The city needs help, the dogs need help, the volunteers are incredibly dedicated. There are so many people in our volunteer capacity who are excited to be a part of this,” said Talmadge-Anderson, a volunteer member. of the board at Friends of Detroit Animal Care and Control.
Friends of Detroit Animal Care and Control is a nonprofit that supports the shelter by educating the community and holding adoption events.
“Seeing people connect with these amazing shelter dogs and adopt them and become their loved ones is really rewarding,” Talmadge-Anderson said.
In 2019, the organization started “Detroit Dog-Ventures,” a program where volunteers can stop by the shelter 7 days a week and give the dogs a chance to see life outside the shelter.
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“It’s rewarding for you, it’s really rewarding for the dogs. We had over 30 people sign up just last month,” Talmadge-Anderson said.
The goal of this program is to bring these puppies into the public for some extra exposure to find them forever homes.
Last year, Cydney Hall became a devoted dog-venture volunteer.
“I did it with two girls that I babysat for, and we fell in love, and we keep coming back,” Hall said.
At each outing, volunteers are given toys, treats and maps of places to go, along with a harness and leash that says “adopt me” so the shelter dogs stand out.
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It’s also an opportunity for volunteers to learn special qualities or behaviors the dogs may have.
“You may discover that this dog knows how to sit, or this dog really loves children, or this dog takes very well to treats, and all that information is information that will help us get a dog that was adopted,” Talmadge-Anderson said.
Social interaction also plays a big role, as those moments can mean the difference between dogs spending the rest of their lives in a shelter or starting a new chapter with a loving family.
“We’ve seen dogs get adopted that day after the dog’s adventure,” Talmadge-Anderson said.
“It’s really rewarding because a lot of the dogs I take in end up being adopted by people we meet or adopt after a while because they just get so much out of it,” Hall said.
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It is a program that provides an exciting experience with greater impact.
“If you love dogs and are looking for something different to do and want to give back to the community and the city of Detroit, a Detroit Dog-Venture is definitely a great option. You can make a difference in a dog’s life for the day and possibly for the rest of its life,” Talmadge-Anderson said.
Detroit Animal Care and Control is always in need of donations and volunteers.
If you would like to participate in a Detroit-Dog Venture, here is some additional information about the program:
- Must be 18 years of age or older with valid ID to participate.
- The program is offered seven days a week, year-round.
- There are two ways to participate: sign up for a specific date and time or show up at the shelter between 10:30 am and 1 pm, with all return times being 3:00 pm Detroit Dog-Ventures all begins and ends at Detroit Animal Care and Control located at 7401 Chrysler Drive in Detroit.
- There is no cost to doing the Detroit Dog-Venture.
- For people interested in donating to Friends of Detroit Animal Care and Control, monetary donations can be made online or on Venmo. These donations help the organization provide medical care for dogs, offer pet ownership classes, and adoption events, and promote available shelter dogs for in adoption.
