My idea! Tell me what you think!

[TollSettFK]

I had an idea to start a club called "A dogs best Friend", where people get signed up with one dog at the SPCA, they then sign a permit saying that they will take good care of the dog for the day. They take The dog that they are signed up with, thier" best dog friend" ,for a little "one day vecation". The humans can play games, take for the dog for long walks, or whatever. They must have fun, take care, and give lots of TLC (goodness knowes they need it.) to thier dog. Everybody in the club starts with thier dog on January first, and goes through the year with the dog, so that "the dog feels loved,and has a best friend in you." Members of the club must got to visit thier dogs twice a week, or more. Through out the year, the members must try to find a good home for thier dog, or adopt the dog themselves. I really wish that there were on reason for this club, and that every dog would have a good home, but there is reason, and we need to help out. I think this would work! Tell me what you guys think!

[Albea]

Grace:
What a wonderful idea :D Unfortunately, I could not have a club like that here because there isn't any shelter nearby :(
But I hope your plan is successful and many people respond to your suggestion.

[yorkster]

Great idea I think- sign me up! Sort of like 'Big Brothers' only for dogs.

[aly]

That is a wonderful idea. The biggest problem I'd see is trying to get a shelter to cooperate with that. Maybe you would have to become a volunteer at the shelter first so that they would trust you to take the dogs off the grounds of the facility. Occasionally I will take a shelter dog to Pet Smart on the weekend, and let me tell you that is usually one interesting trip :D

[Karen]

I just think it might be hard on the dog to think he's got a new person, be with that person the whole day, then have to go back to the shelter, back to that awful place that he might think he's free of, having spent the day with you, just to get abandoned again. Any thoughts on that?

[aly]

I think that'd be true with some dogs. Other dogs, like the ones I take out sometimes, really need some sort of stimulation like that so they don't go completely insane from depression and loneliness. These are usually the dogs that have been there the longest and sort of expect the fact that they'll be returning to their awful kennel later in the day.

I think the club is a good idea, but what may work better is just going to the shelter and maybe taking the dogs for a walk and playing with them there. That way they won't get the false sense of security. Sometimes it is hard to tell what will be best for each individual dog since it varies so much.

[Daisy's Mom]

I'd love to be a part of that club, but I'd fall in love with my dog and take him home :)

[delidog]

karen don't think of it as a negative....where i volunteer...we walk and play with the dogs...so they are better socialized and more adoptable....the last thing you want is for a potential pet human to come in ...put the dog on a leash and get run away with ..or worse yet...if a senior pet human comes to adopt a companion...you would not want the dog to jump on them...leaves a bad impression...we teach them basics...sit,stay etc....this helps older dogs get adopted more readily....this gives a rewarding feeling...knowing that if they get adopted...they won't be returned for poor behavior.....the deli dog ;)

[TollSettFK]

Aly, this is the one problem I see too. I agree with volunteering at the shelter first.

[TollSettFK]

Well you could do that,daisy's mom!

[RachelJ]

I like that idea, but what it comes down to is just being a volunteer at the shelter and working with the shelter to let them trust you to a little more with a particular dog such as take it off the property. The shelters are going to be real careful as to what they allow due to liability issues. Say you take a dog off premises and it bites someone. One of our local shelters actually sponsors an club for kids who get involved at the shelter. They do dog washes in the summer at the shelter and a local pet store as a money raising event. I think your best bet is to get the particular shelter involved in starting such a club with you where they could help formulate what the members can do.

[Gio]

I also like the idea. We have similar schemes running over here. People can just volunteer to take dogs out and spend some time with them. The shelters are specially pleased when people offer to do that for older dogs that usually wait so much longer for adoptions. They insist though that people are consitant and take "their" dog out on a regular basis (at least once a week every week). This schemes have been succesful, it is beneficial not only for the dogs but also for the people who are not in the position to have a dog of their own.