Bodega cats make New Yorkers’ hearts purr
New Yorkers love their bodega cats, but the beloved felines are against the law and store owners who keep them around could be subject to hefty fines.
To help their shelter dogs thrive through structured play time, York County SPCA has engaged a nonprofit group to help train their staff and volunteers to facilitate that sort of activity.
Dogs Playing For Life will conduct a multi-day training for York County SPCA staff and volunteers, teaching them about how to socialize canines and make them more adoptable.
Steven Martinez, York County SPCA executive director, said in a statement the hope is to facilitate safe and beneficial dog-dog interactions and create playgroups. These playgroups not only offer essential exercise and enrichment for shelter dogs but also help reduce stress, improve behavior and boost adoption outcomes.
“Playgroups are a powerful tool in improving the quality of life for our shelter dogs,” stated Martinez. “They provide dogs with much-needed physical activity and social interaction, which helps reduce anxiety, improve behavior, and ultimately make them more adoptable.”
Like many other shelters across the country, the York County SPCA has seen an uptick in dog surrenders and stray dogs entering the shelter. In the last year, it’s held a number of free adoption events as the dog shelter nears capacity.
The introduction of DPFL training at the York County SPCA marks a major step in enhancing the shelter’s canine care practices and aligns with its mission to provide compassionate care to animals in need.
Creating playgroups can help reduce the stress and isolation that comes with being in a shelter environment, according to the York County SPCA. Nationally, shelters that implement DPFL methods have seen increased adoption rates and shortened lengths of stay.
A grant from the Mabel L. Slifer Fund for Animals and People in Need Fund of the York County Community Foundation made it possible for York County SPCA to implement the program.
The public can find more information about pups waiting for their forever homes at https://ycspca.org/adopt/available-dogs.html.
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