Guided Walks With Shelter Dogs
We are looking for walkers and hikers to give our resident dogs some much-needed exercise and time out of the shelter. Come get some priceless canine affection, fresh air and exercise, and have a blast with our grateful dogs. It’s a fun way to meet new friends and will make a HUGE difference in the life of a shelter dog!
Generally, walks are held every Wednesday and Sunday at 10:00 am. The Wednesday walks are approximately 2 miles long and typically held in downtown Burnsville and its surrounding neighborhoods. It is a very short drive from the shelter to downtown. The Sunday hike is 2 to 4 miles and is held at the High School Cross Country Trail, the Bald Mt Creek Preserve, or a similar location.
For both the Wednesday and Sunday walk, volunteers meet at the shelter at 10:00 am and a dog is brought out to each person. Dogs are transported in each volunteer’s personal vehicle, and crates are available upon request. The team leader will try to pair you with a dog you feel comfortable with and will harness the dog for you. You will be hiking an excited shelter dog, and most dogs do pull to some degree, so volunteers need to be fit enough to maintain control of an active dog. Generally, volunteers return back to the Humane Society parking lot by 12:30 pm.
For the Sunday walk, hikers ages 16 to 18 are welcome to come with their parents, but only hikers 18 or older will be given their own dog to hike. For the Wednesday walk, anyone 16 years old or older can participate and handle a dog once approved as a volunteer. While we know you love your own dog, these organized walks are for shelter dogs only. They get so little time outside the shelter, and we want this to be all about THEM!
To join, simply complete a volunteer application here. Also, be sure to check out our Facebook page “Yancey County Humane Society Tails on Trails” https://www.facebook.com/groups/httpwww.yanceyhumanesociety.org/
