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VIENNA -- Officials at the Animal Welfare League of Trumbull County are always looking at ways to get their shelter dogs and cats adopted and have added shelter pet yoga as a way for people to exercise while also seeing the available dogs.
Maggie Guy, volunteer coordinator for the Animal Welfare League, said every other month, people come to the AWL for yoga classes.
"While people are doing yoga, we showcase some of our animals. People can relax as they do yoga as some of the animals awaiting adoption walk among them. The event lets the animals get familiar with people who come here and are considering adoption,''' Guy said.
People are on their mats doing yoga as the dogs walk by them and stop for a pat or a treat. Guy said people participating are given a treat to share with the animals, which encourages the dogs to visit them.
"When we first heard about it, we thought it was an awesome idea. I started in 2023 and we have been doing this since then. We did it monthly last year and now we offer this every other month on Saturdays," Guy said.
She said the shelter dogs enjoy the event and will greet everyone who comes into the large room.
"People have told me how much they enjoy the dogs and they especially like it when we have puppies," Guy said.
She said while the goal is to get the dogs adopted, there is also the socialization of the dogs by them being around different people.
Guy said the program has been successful and dogs have been adopted by some of the participants.
She said the program is very popular in the winter months when people like to be inside doing yoga.
Christine Livingston of Niles said, "I like supporting the local AWL. Yoga is also a great activity and having the dogs here makes it fun. I bring my niece with me and she enjoys it. I am comfortable with the dogs walking around. They are very friendly and the puppies can be real rambunctious..''
She said she volunteers at the AWL
Livingston's niece, Everly Schulz, 8, of Ashtabula, said it was fun to come to the event, but sometimes the dogs interrupted the yoga.
Laurie Blaire of Hermitage, Pa., said every 15 minutes, a new dog is brought into the room. She said she has been there when there are pairs of dogs or groups of puppies or kittens that come into the yoga room.
"It was a good idea for visibility for adoption of the animals. The dogs and cats need homes and that is the reason I started volunteering here,'' Blaire said.
One of the dogs is Bentley, who enjoys visiting all the yoga participants and was a favorite at a recent yoga session.
Liz Hoffman of the Village Yoga Community in Hubbard said in addition to meeting the yoga participants who she leads in the class, she also gets to meet the different animals.
"The dogs all have different personalities. There are a variety of animals, with the older ones having great personalities and the funny puppies we get to see,'' Hoffman said. "Some are super friendly and others are a little shy and skittish. I know every time I leave, I have a smile on my face," Hoffman said.
Hoffman said in addition to the dogs and cats, sometimes there are ferrets and rabbits.
"You never know what you will see until you get here,'' she said.
This event is a walk-in with no registration required. A $10 donation to participate directly funds AWL.
Those attending can bring their own mat or towel. Chairs are available.