You are reading this correctly. If you're anything like me, you have sat in your lonely, pet-less living room, thinking about your pet back home, and really needing some kind of animal cuteness in your life.
Like actual, real-life animal cuteness to hold and love. But alas, your dorm or apartment doesn't allow pets, and you can't let your friends or acquaintances with pets know that you want to stay at their house for an excessive amount of time, primarily just to see their dog.
But then came that fateful day that changed my life for the better. Last Friday, my neighbor (and fellow victim of the "no-pets" policy that plagues our living situation) told me of this magical opportunity available.
It's like renting a dog-- but it's temporary fostering, and it's available in our area at the League for Animal Welfare in Anniston, AL. The "Field Trip for Fido" program allows members of the community (including local college students!) to take one of the local, adoptable pets from this no-kill shelter on a little outing-- to get lots of love and playtime.
What You'll Need:
Bring your driver's license, your car, water, some fun plans, lots of love, and maybe some treats and a ball. You'll fill out some paperwork when you get there, they'll scan your license, and you'll find a friend to take with you. They gave us a leash and a collar, but if you happen to have a leash and/or harness with you just in case, it might not hurt. Otherwise, they will probably still have one you can use. You will have to let them know what your plans are, so think of some possibilities of parks or areas you can take them to. They may be in the process of being leash trained and need to stay on their leash, so keep in mind that an actual dog park may not be feasible.
If you have a place that allows you to keep pets (i.e. your apartment allows them; you just don't have pets of your own), you may be able to temporarily foster a pet for more than a day, such as a weekend or so. Either way, the pets need to come back home at least 30 minutes before they close (by 3:30 M-F, and by 2:30 on Saturday), so you may want to come early to have more time with your furry friend.
The Friend We Met:
This sweet pupper is named Feisty! She is available for adoption, and she actually just had some puppies that are also available for adoption. She is super sweet, enjoys car rides and appreciates a good classic ride, but is not a fan of passing cars that she cannot ride in. Unamused by the prospect of playing fetch with a stick; perhaps has a finer taste for chew toys or tennis balls. We only got to hang out for about an hour, but 10/10 would recommend picking her up earlier to spend more time.
Go find a friend to take on a field trip, and remember to take extra good care of him/her! We definitely want this to be something the League for Animal Welfare will want to continue, and most importantly, we want this to be something beneficial and fun for these sweet animals. If you are from outside our area, look into possibilities like this in your own area. If you are at a place where you can adopt, or you know someone who might be interested, these friends can be yours! So go make a puppy's day, and remember to adopt; don't shop!
