Dog Warden Adoption Center opens new exercise, play area
Whizzer races around the new play area at the Holmes County Dog Warden and Adoption Center. The newly dedicated area will help the dogs at the kennel both physically and mentally.
Remember when the pandemic was in full force and people were quarantined, told to stay home and keep to themselves?
After a while, many people got itchy to get out and get going.
According to Jonathan Beam, Holmes County dog warden, that is exactly the way dogs can feel in their pens at the Holmes County Dog Warden Adoption Center in Millersburg.
However, thanks to funds from the Holmes County commissioners and some donations from the community, the dogs now have room for running, jumping and playing outside with the building of a new play yard on land abutting the dog pound on the north.
On Thursday, April 28, the dog warden office members were joined by several county officials, a pair of volunteers who exercise the dogs and others who helped celebrate a leash-cutting ceremony to officially open the new play area.
If the exuberance displayed by Whizzer, a pit bull mix, was any indication, the new play area is going to be a hit with the dogs, who can now exercise, play and run free in the fenced-in area that is far larger than what was formerly available to them.
“Not only is this going to create an opportunity for the dogs to exercise more, it is going to help calm them down a lot,” Beam said. “One of the things we noticed when we started the volunteer program was that the dogs were a lot quieter during the day because they were getting out on a regular basis. When they are relieving some of that pent-up energy, it is only going to help keep them calmer.”
Volunteers Steve Armbrust, who cut the leash during the ceremony, and Jess McConville were on hand to help them celebrate the occasion.
Beam said while the volunteers have done amazing work with the dogs, it will be refreshing to let them off the leash and allow the canines to run wild in the fenced-in play area.
“We had a dog, Baxter, who was here for almost 300 days, and had he not had volunteers to get him outside on a regular basis for exercise, he might not have been as adoptable as he was, and that is our ultimate goal — to get these dogs adopted,” Beam said. “We had such a small space to work the dogs, and now with this very large, very wide-open space, they can really cut loose.”
With the new fenced-in play yard providing ample space for exercise, Beam said that will help keep the dogs calmer when people visit to adopt, which will benefit the dogs greatly both physically and mentally.
Beam said the idea of purchasing the land and creating a large play yard started last summer. He said they knew the property was available and perfect for their needs. They pitched the idea to the commissioners, who quickly supported the idea.
Then there was the donation of the sheet fencing from Swiss Valley Fence, which also installed the fencing.
Beam said now that the dedication is done, they are looking forward to allowing all the dogs to romp in the yard. He said once they get the dogs accustomed to the area, they will implement a program called Dogs for Life, in which people can bring dogs in for play groups.
“It gives our dogs a chance to interact, and that’s healthy for them,” Beam said. “It helps them improve their behavior and adjust to life in the shelter. I think we will notice a big change and see immediate benefits from the dogs utilizing this play area.”
Beam said they sold T-shirts as a fundraiser for the fence to help pay for the area.