VCA Charities

VCA Charities and our 20+ shelter partners have taken more than 5,000 shelter dogs on field trips since the start of the Dog Day Out program. This has led to a reported increase in adoption, foster, or rescue placement for these shelter dogs. #AdoptaDogMonth 

My EXACT feelings on our VCA Charities Dog Day Out program…☀️🚘🌲🐕⬇️ I’ve always said (in addition to adoption) my main goal is to have a shelter dog feel the sun on her face, the wind in her hair and the grass under her paws…which is why this photo is everything! I’m completely obsessed with the physical and mental changes a single field trip offers a shelter dog — for dogs in crowded shelters, a day out of out of their kennel is their single best chance at finding a home... Here’s data from three partner shelter #dogdayout programs to validate the obsession: Arizona Humane Society: Average days in shelter pre-field trip: 41 Average days in shelter post-field trip: 14 Dallas Animal Services: 439 completed field trips, 85% adopted or rescued; 11% placed in foster LifeLine Animal Project: 797 completed field trips; 30% increase in people fostering If you want to learn more or take a shelter dog on a field trip, visit vcacharities.org #vca #vcacharities #shelterdog #abetterworldforpets #endingpethomelessness #proudlymars

Take 5,000 + shelter dogs on a field trip! ✔️ WOW — what a milestone! VCA Charities and our 20+ shelter partners have taken more than 5,000 shelter dogs on field trips since the roll out of our Dog Day Out training and grant program in October. 🐾🥾🌲🎒 Best of all…most of these field trips came with a reported positive outcome — adoption, foster or rescue placement! We’re committed to helping even more shelter dogs experience the joy of a field trip and the love of a forever home! Which is why our third #vcacharities Dog Day Out training cohort kicks off next week with 11 new shelter partners including Michigan Humane, City of Indianapolis, Nebraska Humane Society, City of San Bernardino, Cleveland Animal Protective League, Montgomery County Government, Utah Humane Society + others! To learn more about our program, take a dog on a field trip with a local shelter or view our Dog Day Our Starter Guide visit: https://lnkd.in/gZqi6px5 🙏💪 Kristen Hassen, Lisa Gunter, Finnegan Dowling, Kimberly West, Diana Duncan, CVPM, Michelle Beach Harlow, Claire Lawson #endingpethomelessness #abetterworldforpets #proudlymars #vca

In just one year, over 52,000 KONG toys have been donated to shelters across the United States. We are inviting shelters to join us to raise this number!    In May 2023, VCA Charities and KONG partnered to launch the Second Chance KONG initiative, aimed at enriching the lives of shelter animals.    Through this program, durable rubber KONGs with slight imperfections are repurposed to reduce waste and provide valuable resources to shelters.    "KONG exists because we know dogs need to play—they need enrichment, stimulation, and ways to keep busy while patiently waiting for adoption," said Brian Decker, Vice President of Brand and Creative at KONG. "Our support of VCA Charities and its vast network of shelter partners means even more shelter dogs will have a second chance at finding a loving home—not to mention care and toys while they wait for one!"   With the launch of our new website, VCA Charities is now offering an open application for qualifying shelters to request Second Chance KONG toys for their shelter dog populations. Interested shelters can learn more and apply here https://lnkd.in/gDnv6Z_P.   #SecondChanceKONG #ShelterDogs #VCACharities #KONG #KONGDog

We’ve provided 53,229 KONG toys to #shelterdogs across the U.S. in just one year! 🎉🙌❤️🦮🐾 The VCA Charities Second Chance KONG program has filled kennels with play and joy for 100 shelter partners and now we’re opening the grant program to shelters and rescues in desperate need of critical enrichment as the animal welfare industry continues to report over-capacity shelters and record-long wait times for adoptions. ➡️ Qualifying nonprofits interested in applying for up to 1,000 KONG toys can learn more and apply at vcacharities.org! Of course this program wouldn’t be possible without the generosity and partnership with KONG Company and KVP International, Inc. + Gabriel Martinez, Ryan Long, Brian Decker and Meredith Small as well as our own Lane LaPlante! And as an added bonus, we’ve also partnered with VCA Animal Hospitals to make limited edition KONG toys available for donation and have raised more than $200,000 in support of our Ready for Rescue Grant program — all with the goal of supporting adoption readiness and finding happy homes for deserving dogs. PS. This program equally good for dogs and the 🌎 as it finds homes for KONG ‘seconds’ — slightly imperfect KONGs that can’t be sold because of small imperfections but have the same durability as any KONG you’d find in a store! #vca #vcacharities #abetterworldforpets #endingpethomelessness #kongdog

Showing love to shelters dogs in Atlanta! 💙🐾🎒 Yesterday our friends from the VCA Animal Hospitals South Atlantic Field leadership team experienced the joy of our Dog Day Out field trip program with our partners at Atlanta Humane Society. Nine lucky dogs spent an afternoon walking, cuddling, sniffing and snuggling + received lots of love and attention! We’re excited to see Atlanta Humane Society pilot this life-saving and life-changing program and open it to the public later this year! To find a shelter location offering a Dog Day Out program near you visit vcacharities.org. #vca #vcacharities #endingpethomelessness #abetterworldforpets #proudlymars

VCA Animal Hospitals South Atlantic Field Team Gives Shelter Dogs a "Day Out" in Atlanta! Our team partnered with Atlanta Humane Society for a special "Dogs Day Out" event, sponsored by VCA Charities. We had the joy of taking shelter dogs on a walk through Atlanta, giving these adorable pups a chance to: • Enjoy fresh air and exercise • Socialize in public settings • Meet potential adopters This initiative not only brightens the dogs' day but also increases their chances of finding forever homes. It's a win-win for both the animals and our community! We're proud to support local shelters and promote pet adoption. Every dog deserves a loving home, and we're thrilled to play a part in making those connections happen. Interested in getting involved or adopting? Visit Atlanta Humane Society's website to learn more. #AdoptDontShop #VCAGivesBack #AnimalWelfare #PetAdoption #vcacares Diana Duncan, CVPM Susan Zobler DVM DABVP (Canine/Feline) Patti LeVan, LVT, CVT, LVMT Amanda Anastas Matt Roper Todd Nizialek Rick McMahill Lissa Cannady MVCC, CrVT Elizabeth Busch Carlos Campos, DVM Jon Cunnington, MBA, CVPM Christie Knowles, CIR Jessica M. Sewell, MVCC BAS LVT CVT RVT LVMT CPhT Andrea Danforth

Helping pets find and remain in loving homes is what we do! The expansion of our Ready for Rescue Grant Program is critical to supporting more shelter partners and shelter animals. Our board chair, Kimberly West, said it best when she said, “What started as a traditional grant program for shelter partners has grown into deeply meaningful training and support programs that are not only increasing adoptions but also decreasing kennel stress, boredom and behavioral issues and simultaneously increasing connections between the local communities and the shelters.” Throuh our newly web site, shelters now have access to the just launched 'Dog Day Out Starter Guide' (created in collaboration with Kristen Hassen, and based on the data of Lisa Gunter) as well as access to Second Chance KONGs for shelter pets (thanks to our friends at KONG Company)! Be sure to visit VCACharities.org to learn more! #vca #vcacharities #abetterworldforpets #endingpethomelessness #proudlymars

I’m thrilled to share VCA Charities ‘Dog Day Out Starter Guide’ is officially out — and I’m hopeful it’s going to change (and save) the lives of so many shelter dogs! A big thank you to Kristen Hassen for collaborating with us on this field-trip toolkit for shelters. This body of work is in addition to the 22 shelters (with a collective intake of 350,000 animals annually) that we’ve provided in-person training as well as grants for supplies, tools and resources to launch Dog Day Out programs across the country. Our third in-person training cohort is coming in September, but until then — and for the smaller shelter partners across the country — this starter guide is an amazing tool to lean into the value of field trips and the data (thank you Lisa Gunter) behind how this type of enrichment is decreasing kennel stress, increasing adoptions and deepening connections between local communities and shelters. To view the Starter Guide 👉 https://lnkd.in/gNzfdmqs To find a list of shelter partners offering Dog Day Out programs, visit our *new and lovely* web site at vcacharities.org 🐾 🙏 to Kimberly West, Diana Duncan, CVPM, Michelle Beach Harlow, Paula Little, Claire Lawson, Megan Bauer and Allison P. for your support of this work! #vca #vcacharities #abetterworldforpets #proudlymars

This week our Dog Day Out program turned ‘Dog Day In’ at VCA Animal Hospitals Support Office! 🐕🐾💙 Bruno, Olive and Carti spent the day with VCA leaders and Associates attending meetings, enjoying lunch and taking quiet naps in between — a much needed day away from the shelter while they wait for forever families. A big thank you to Los Angeles Animal Servives West LA campus for making #dogdayout possible + Joseph Campbell, Gina Lindell and Joneen Murphy for fostering Bruno, Olive or Carti for the day! And YES all three dogs are still available for adoption and we’re covering their adoption fees! #endingpethomelessness #vcacharities #vca #adoptadog #proudlymars #abetterworldforpets