CITY DOGS’ four-legged residents awaiting adoption will enjoy a four and a half mile hike on Sunday, Feb. 19, 2017 with Cleveland Animal Care & Control staff and volunteers.

The group of hikers, including the CITY DOGS’ Runners, will take adoptable dogs through the Cleveland Metroparks’ Deer Lick Trail in Brecksville Reservation.

CITY DOGS is a program of Cleveland Animal Care & Control. Its mission is to increase adoptions from the City Kennel by changing the image of the pit bull-type dogs who make up the majority of the kennel population, by preparing all adoptable dogs in the kennel for lives in loving homes and by creating as many opportunities as possible for the public to meet and get to know our dogs for the terrific pets they are meant to be.

“We expect to have just as many volunteers and dogs participating this weekend as we did in January. The group hikes are a great opportunity to include volunteers who want to exercise with the dogs but don’t like to run,” said Ed Jamison, Chief Animal Control Officer. “It’s also pretty remarkable to see twenty of our dogs all hiking together. It is good exercise and provides the dogs with a change of scenery.”

CITY DOGS’ Runners, a newly formed subset of the larger volunteer group at the kennel, takes adoptable dogs running, both in group and individual settings. CITY DOGS’ Runners organized the first ever group hike in January, which included more than 25 volunteers, and 20 dogs to demonstrate their hiking skills. The group plans to organize similar hikes every month this year.

Get Involved

Volunteers participating in the group hike have been trained to walk dogs at the kennel. Interested in volunteering? Email citydogs@city.cleveland.oh.us.

CITY DOGS ready for adoption can be viewed at www.petango.com/cacc. Meetings can be arranged by emailing citydogs@city.cleveland.oh.us. Adoption includes spay/neuter surgery, vaccines, a microchip, license and a month of free pet health insurance.

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