Meet Amy!

Amy (pictured on the right) is a kind, compassionate, enthusiastic volunteer that is dedicated to the dogs at DCAS! Always eager to learn, Amy has completed DCAS's rigorous Orange Paw curriculum which is geared towards expanding volunteers' knowledge and handling skills so that they may provide training and enrichment to the dogs most in need at DCAS. Amy can often be found engaging the minds of shelter dogs with puzzles, toys, and nosework. Not only has Amy dedicated herself to working with the dogs at DCAS, she is also a regular, smiling face at the shelter's Night Owl events, and has created engaging and unique content to market available dogs on the shelter's social media. Recently, Amy combined her love of Halloween with her passion for enriching the lives of shelter dogs and created a Pumpkin Spice Enrichment Day that included costumes, apple bobbing, and pumpkin destruction! We are so grateful to have Amy's fun-loving, creative, compassionate self at DCAS! Thank you Amy!

Howl-O-Ween is right around the corner and ghosts and goblins will be out in force. While people have a spook-tacular time celebrating the festivities, our pets typically experience more fright than fun. Never fret, you can set your pet up for success and help them enjoy the celebration comfortably. 

Create A Positive Association

Counter-conditioning and desensitization are effective training tools to help an animal turn a frightening experience into fun. By slowly introducing a new, and possibly stressful, stimulus slowly and pairing it with a positive reward you can help your pet feel more comfortable and confident. Check out this great how-to article from Animal Humane Society.

Watch Amber Walker, owner of Animal Intuitions, discuss appropriate Howl-O-Ween costumes: The Dos and Don'ts of Dog Halloween Costumes\

If counter-conditioning and desensitization are not for you Howl-O-Ween safety tips from The Humane Society of the United States will help you keep your pet secure and comfortable while you celebrate.