A new way to help long-stay dogs find forever homes is underway at the Fort Bend County Animal Shelter in Rosenberg.
The Pathway Pilot Program is a fast track to increasing enrichment for dogs who have been there one or even two years, providing more play group, more walks, and more information on their personalities for prospective adopters and rescue groups. It’s the kind of one-on-one attention that helps dogs who’ve been living in kennels long-term.
“It’s not fair for an animal to be in a 5x5 cage, it’s not right,” says Director Rene Vasquez. “We need to show the community these pets are amazing. We’ve been doing tests and it helps us to not overlook characteristics of animals.”
Shelter volunteer and FBCAS Advisory Board member, Ashlee Weber, is a vocal advocate for the pilot program after she and her husband adopted long-stay dogs, Dakota and Alfie. She says there’s nothing wrong with overlooked dogs and can attest to the transformation that occurs once they leave the shelter and feel safe in their new home.
“Three days in, Dakota was a completely different dog than the first hour we had him,” Weber said. “Three weeks in he was much more comfortable, and three months in he had changed so much. Just give them time.”
Right now, the shelter has 34 long-stay dogs in their care, some who have been there several months to as long as two years. The benefit of the pilot program is two-fold: bringing positive outcomes to dogs who’ve been waiting a long time for forever families, and helping dogs on the street who need a safe place to land.
“The strays are out there,” Vasquez said. “If we can get shelter animals adopted or rescued or temporary-fostered, it would give an opportunity for the animals in the street to come in where we can take care of them.”
If you would like to meet any of the long-stay dogs, you can arrange a meet and greet by visiting the shelter at 1210 Blume Road in Rosenberg.
In addition, the shelter is always looking for foster families and volunteers. You can reach out to them at 281-342-1512, or look for shelter updates on their Facebook page anytime.