400+ shelter dogs embark on day of adventure in L.A.

As Chico slipped into his blue “adopt me” vest, he was grinning from pointy ear to ear. The handsome pup, who was available for adoption at the Best Friends Pet Adoption Center in Los Angeles, was about to embark on an adventure.

A recent Saturday marked Adventure Buddies Day in Los Angeles and at Best Friends locations and participating shelters nationwide. People were encouraged to visit their local shelter and take an adoptable dog out for a few hours of fun.

Chico was matched with volunteer Steven Szydio.

“I was so excited to meet Chico and get him to see the world and have fun,” says Steven.

Chico originally came to Best Friends from the South L.A. animal shelter. South L.A. and the five other Los Angeles Animal Services (LAAS) shelters participated in Adventure Buddies Day — no small feat for one of the largest animal sheltering systems in the country. LAAS and Best Friends started working together three months earlier to plan an event that would give dogs in shelters the best day ever. Today, more communities than ever before are embracing no-kill and the programs that make it possible. Best Friends is there with guidance, staff support, and funding to assist shelters across the country and especially in Los Angeles.

By 8 a.m., people were lining up to pick up their buddies. (Each person had signed up in advance to become a foster volunteer with LAAS.) After checking in, LAAS matchmaking volunteers helped pair each person with a dog to take out for the day.

“Seeing a lobby full of people who took time out of their weekend to come get a shelter dog out just for a couple of hours is amazing,” says Brittany Thorn, Best Friends executive director in L.A.

Once Chico and Steven hit the road, they made the most of every minute. First up was a long walk along the bike path in Culver City. Then they headed to a park, where Chico chilled in the shade. They capped things off with a drive down the Pacific Coast Highway, Chico taking in the views and feeling the wind in his fur.

Across Los Angeles, other dogs were having equally big days. Some went to the beach for the first time, relaxed in people’s living rooms, and visited pet stores to pick out any toys and treats they wanted.

And then there were the pup cups.

“We were joking that Starbucks probably ran out of pup cups that day because so many of them went,” says Brittany.

Of course the outings were fun, but they served an important purpose, too.

Shelters can be stressful places for dogs, filled with unfamiliar sounds, smells, and humans. “Just getting them out of the shelter for even a couple of hours gives them the opportunity to relax in a non-stressful environment,” says Brittany.

A change of scenery can also reveal sides of a dog that are harder to see in a kennel. Those details can help potential adopters picture what life with that pup might actually be like.

Life of adventure for a dog who couldn’t be left behind

“It really gives people a look into how incredible shelter dogs are,” says Brittany. “They are not these broken dogs. They are amazing companions, and it just shows them in a better light.”

Adventure Buddies Day also signed up hundreds of new volunteers for LAAS. Now that they’re official foster volunteers, participants can come back to take dogs on future outings or even invite one into their home for a longer stay.

At the end of the day, there were lots of hugs — and a few tears. “There were a lot of people who really wanted to wait until the very last minute to be able to bring their adventure buddy back,” says Brittany.

As for Chico, he returned to Best Friends happy and ready for a nap after his big day with Steven. “Hopefully he gets to be adopted by a loving family, and I get to be a part of that,” says Steven.

Big life for a much-loved-adventure dog

Despite the goodbyes, there were plenty of reasons to be happy. More than 400 dogs were taken out on adventures throughout Los Angeles. Fourteen of them remained with their people for overnight stays, and, best of all, 25 dogs were adopted. Those dogs are now off to their greatest adventure yet: a home of their very own.

Our goal at Best Friends is to support all animal shelters in the U.S. in reaching no-kill. No-kill means saving every dog and cat in a shelter who can be saved, accounting for community safety and good quality of life for pets. 

Shelter staff can’t do it alone. Saving animals in shelters is everyone’s responsibility, and it takes support and participation from the community. No-kill is possible when we work together thoughtfully, honestly, and collaboratively.