“Saturday Strolls”:
One Of Many Ways To Help Local Animal Shelter

          Every two weeks, Orcutt and Santa Maria residents gather to take group walks with shelter-weary dogs at the County Animal Shelter, 548 West Foster Road.  One recent Saturday, the dog walkers waited as one by one the excited dogs were delivered to them by staff or volunteers. For safety, dogs are matched in energy to the person(s) walking them. There are usually three groups of six dogs guided by a volunteer, with three different walking routes to follow. The exuberance of the dogs and the smiles of the walkers bring joy to the onlooking staff and volunteers alike.
           In charge of “Saturday Strolls” are volunteer coordinators and Orcutt residents Jennifer Mills and Liese Epps. Epps saw how successful these walks are in Lompoc and she and Mills started them here five months ago. "It really is a joyful event and helps educate our community about the shelter and what really goes on. These dogs are strays or abandoned and it takes a village to help them," says Epps.
           Epps is especially inspired to continue the Saturday Strolls because as a regular volunteer at the shelter, she sometimes sees a "declining dog.” A declining dog, she describes, is shelter-weary and begins sulking in the cell, injuring itself, drooling, or pacing.
           "A walk every other week,” says Ann Rockwell, the volunteer who signs people in at the Saturday Strolls, "helps a dog not decline.” Because the volunteer walkers fill in information about the behavior and progress of the dog at the end of their walk, the shelter can add to the Petfinder descriptions and the staff can better place the dogs, Rockwell explains. “Training also happens during the walks.” The volunteers are given treats for their dogs and can practice sitting and proper walking on a leash. Being with many people during the walk also helps the dogs become more socialized.
             One Orcutt dog walker, Marta Cavanaugh, said "It's so much fun. Gets us out. We establish friendships and find out about the dogs.” One dog she had been walking regularly got adopted that week, which pleased her.
           Some of the precipitants fill social media with pictures and extol the virtues of the dog they walked that week, which encourages adoptions of the shelter dogs.
           The Saturday Strolls program is just one way to help the shelter, which is usually at capacity with 100 dogs countywide. The actual shelter has its own programs. The highest need, says Esme Medina, Outreach Coordinator for Volunteers, and Foster and Rescue programs, is fostering. Medina underscores that the goal at the shelter is adoption. Trial-fostering at a possible home helps determine if the dog fits in that home. Other fostering needs are for young puppies and kittens and medical-needs dogs and cats. 
           There are plenty of ways to help at the shelter including participating in the Doggie Day Out Program (show up for two hours minimum and get matched with a dog suited to your ability), cat/kitten and bunny care, transport, photography, cleaning, bio-writing, video editing, docent, playgroups, envelope stuffing, and social media. 
To volunteer for a Saturday Stroll, email Jennifer Mills at jenniferleighmills@gmail.com. To sign up for one of the many shelter volunteer opportunities, go to countyofsb.org/415/Animal-Services.      Katy Jacobson reporting