Sep. 12-MENANDS, N.Y. - Recently the Mohawk Hudson Humane Society (MHHS) and CDPHP celebrated National Dog Walker Appreciation Day with the announcement of a three-year sponsorship to fund supplies for the Society's dog walking program. The gift will provide quality essentials for volunteers and approximately 1,000 shelter pups each year, including Martingale collars, leashes, waste bags, shirts, identification lanyards, and "I'm Available" vests for dogs to wear on field trips.
Both organizations see the collaboration as a perfect fit for their missions. The positive impacts of interacting with animals are well documented. According to the CDC, health benefits include increased opportunities to exercise, get fresh air, and socialize with friends. Regular walking or playing with pets decreases blood pressure, cholesterol levels, and triglyceride levels. The companionship of animals has also been found to help manage loneliness and depression.
"CDPHP has long respected the work MHHS does as an organization, and I am thrilled that we found a way to partner to help both shelter animals and volunteers live their healthiest lives," said Victoria Hostig, director of community relations for CDPHP. "We encourage anyone interested in volunteering to contact MHHS as soon as possible. Your head, heart, and the animals will thank you!"
On the animal side, exercise and socialization provide enrichment that is vital to keeping shelter pups both physically and mentally healthy. In 2021, MHHS volunteers devoted a total of 20,940 total hours, and more than 7,200 hours (or 34%) specifically to the task of dog walking.
"Our volunteer dog walking program is extremely important to the well-being of our pups. We couldn't provide as much of this enriching activity without the dedication of our incredible volunteer team," said Ashley Jeffrey Bouck, CEO of MHHS. "This sponsorship provides the necessary tools for walkers to interact safely with the dogs while here, and also allows us to send adopters home with a reliable collar."
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