To my absolute pleasure, I spent this past Saturday hanging out with Jake (from State Farm), one of the many dogs available for adoption at Memphis Animal Services (MAS). Through their Foster Field Trips program, Jake (not pictured) was able to leave the shelter for a few hours and experience new environments with new people in preparation for being adopted, while I, a college student several hours away from her own darling dog and deeply saddened by this fact, was able to have my day made by the most handsome, loving dog, with the best name.
Typically on Saturdays or Sundays, Foster Field Trips last only a few hours, and are whatever you make them. MAS provides a list of dog-friendly places as suggestions, coffee shops, stores, and restaurants, but you’re welcome to take the pups anywhere that’s not off-leash or a dog park. There are even special treats you can find for them: Starbucks has free puppuccinos & MemPops has cheap Pawpsicles. MAS usually posts the sign-ups for the weekend’s field trips on Wednesday, so if you’re interested, check their Facebook! It’s not a huge time commitment, but it makes a huge difference to these dogs to have a day out where they get one-on-one attention. Plus, your only other duty is to take pictures of the pup having the time of their life and write up a mini report after you return him/her. These photos and reports show potential adopters all the wonderful things about the dog and can boost their adoptability!
This was my first time participating in a Foster Field Trip. My friend Louise and I took Jake to a couple of parks, one that was less crowded and another that was maybe a little too popular. We got a ton of exercise ourselves, but I hardly minded because we spent the day walking alongside the sweetest pup. It was a fantastic way to spend our Saturday, and while we volunteered together, field trips are open to small groups or solo volunteers as well. For those of us missing our dogs back home or searching for a way to make a difference in a pup’s life, MAS has the perfect opportunity. To see more examples and learn more, just search #MASFosterFieldTrips on Facebook to see past reports and suggestions of where you could go with your puppy partner. Our report from spending the day with Jake will be listed there sometime soon if you want to know more about him!