(PRESS RELEASE) ST. LOUIS – Americans are staying apart to stay safe, but for canine rescue Dogs Playing For Life (DPFL), social distancing is not an option. The Colorado-based organization’s innovative program relies on social interaction and shared playtime to make shelter dogs better behaved and more adoptable. The COVID-19 crisis has created new challenges for the group, which mentors shelters around the US on how to implement its playgroup program and now must perform this service digitally.
DPFL also operates its own advanced canine behavior center in North Central Florida, and here too the crisis has had an impact. “Most of the dogs that come to us are at risk of euthanasia at their originating shelter due to behavior concerns. The COVID-19 crisis hasn’t impacted our ability to serve these dogs, but it has held up some of the dogs that are ready to be transported to adoption partners,” said Emily Grossheider, chief innovation officer for DPFL.
With dogs moving through its system more slowly, a donation of dog food that DPFL recently received from Cloud Star is proving especially timely. The St. Louis-based dog food company has provided the rescue with almost 2000 pounds or 114 bags of Cloud Star baked kibble, known for its grain-free recipes with limited ingredients that are high in protein and use ingredients such as chicken, peas and lentils.
“We are so excited to be able to provide the dogs that we work with at the Canine Center with this donation of food!” said Grossheider. “We may also be able to share some with our local low-cost pet clinic and shelter that will be able to distribute to members of our community in Florida that need assistance for their dogs during this uncertain time.”
According to Cloud Star spokesperson Melissa Routt, her company is pleased and proud to support DPFL, whose unique playgroup program has helped achieve positive outcomes for vast numbers of shelter dogs, many of which were considered unadoptable and on the verge of being euthanized. “DPFL’s motto is, ‘Dogs Live to Play, Now Let Them Play to Live,’” Routt said. “They’ve shown that when shelter dogs are allowed to express their natural play instinct and interact with one another, rather than being kept isolated in cages, they tend to become better socialized, less prone to extreme behavior, and more likely to find their way into loving homes. DPFL has brought its playgroup program to shelters across the US. We’re very happy that our Cloud Star kibble donation will play a role in supporting an organization with such far-reaching impact.”
For more information on Cloud Star food, visit www.cloudstar.com
Dogs Playing For Life has found that when shelter dogs are allowed to express their natural play instinct, they have fewer behavior issues and become more adoptable.