In a heartwarming initiative, OC Animal Care has launched Dog’s Day Outa six-month pilot program that offers shelter dogs a much-needed break from their kennels. This innovative program allows residents to take these adoptable dogs on short adventures, providing them with enrichment and increasing their chances of finding a loving home.
The program is designed to foster a stronger connection between the community and the shelter dogs. Denise Woodside, a spokesperson for OC Animal Care, expressed enthusiasm about the program’s potential to support their mission. “We’re really inspired by looking at ways of supporting our mission and providing care and enrichment for the animals that are in our care and also strengthening the animal-human bond and helping pets find loving homes,” Woodside said.
Enrichment and Adoption Opportunities
Dog’s Day Out aims to provide shelter dogs with valuable experiences outside the shelter environment. According to the shelter’s website, when dogs socialize outside, staff can observe their behaviors in different settings, which helps in finding them homes faster. Studies by VCA Charities have shown that dogs are five to 14 times more likely to be adopted in programs similar to Dog’s Day Out.
Participants in the program must be at least 18 years old, have a valid driver’s license, and an air-conditioned car. They are required to complete an application, agree to be featured on the organization’s social media, and fill out a post-experience survey. The dogs must remain in their harness, collar, and leash throughout the outing and be seat-belted when in moving vehicles. The county shelter provides participants with a backpack of essential supplies and “Adopt Me” vests for the dogs.
Community Impact and Success Stories
Before opening the program to the community, OC Animal Care volunteers tested it with in-house staff only. On the third day of testing, a dog named Joanie caught the attention of community members during her excursion and was adopted just two hours later. Elizabeth Elmore, a volunteer for OC Animal Care, highlighted the program’s effectiveness in raising awareness about adoptable dogs. “It’s great to show people that the dogs are here and remind them of the dogs [up for] adoption — because you don’t really think about it too much when you are just hanging out,” Elmore said.
The Dog’s Day Out program is particularly significant given the shelter’s emergency policy change in 2026 that ended offsite dog walking following the Tustin Hanger Fire. Animal advocates have criticized the policy for limiting the dogs’ opportunities to leave the shelter. Woodside mentioned that OC Animal Care volunteers can still enrich the dogs on campus, but the pilot program allows them to walk the dogs offsite as well.
Community Response and Future Plans
Kit Vulpe, a professional dog trainer who has participated in Dog’s Day Out twice, emphasized the program’s importance in improving the dogs’ mental health. “We want to see the dogs. We want to take them out. We want to socialize them and train them, even in the small way that’s just taking them outside of that environment — it’s saving their mental health,” Vulpe said.
Woodside noted that new appointments for the pilot program open two weeks in advance but tend to fill up quickly. “The program has been so well received that our calendar to book appointments has been booking up quickly,” Woodside said. Vulpe expressed a desire for more days to be available, stating, “The people want more days.” Elmore also wished for more appointment availability throughout the day.
Feedback from participants through surveys will help the shelter learn and plan the next steps. Woodside mentioned that the shelter selects each dog for program eligibility based on their ages, sizes, and breeds. The staff then matches the dogs to applicants based on the information from the application and the personalities of the dogs. “This [program] really allows for our community to help bring unique enrichment to each animal and go with the lead of the animal,” Woodside said.