Updated as of 6:38 p.m. on March 17 to include video of the event.

When Rhonda Johnson joined Hikes with Hounds a few months ago, she said she did not expect to meet the dog of her dreams.

“When I got the leash, I felt it. I was like, ‘Oh, this is my dog,’” Johnson said. “He just had a real easy energy about him.”

The dog Johnson adopted is named Snoopy. She said she was glad she could volunteer with the program and rescue a dog through Burlington Animal Services. 

“I'm really an advocate of adopt don't shop,” Johnson said. “It's like diamonds in the rough. You just never know what is at the shelter or rescues until you go and take a look.”

 

Hikes with Hounds started in spring 2015. The group meets every month at different park trails across Alamance County, which allows community members to not only meet one another, but also dogs from the shelter. The hikes happen with a group of no more than 12 volunteers and between two and five dogs. 

City of Graham Recreation and Parks Marketing Supervisor Brandy McCandless said getting the dogs outside the shelter helps their personalities come out.  

“Dogs that have been at the shelter, they may have high energy, they may be stressed. This is an opportunity to get them outside, to get them to socialize and get some exercise,” McCandless said. 

McCandless also said the program is a great way to advertise the dogs for adoption on social media. 

Beyond the hikes, the Dog Day Out Program is another chance for dogs to get outside for a few hours. Program Manager for Burlington Animal Services Sydney Herron said Elon University students are primarily the ones who participate. 

“We can tell when school is not in session because the amount of dog day outs we get goes down drastically,” Herron said. 

She said while student participation in Dog Day Out is great, two rules commonly broken are students bringing the dogs to dog parks and their on-campus housing. 

Both Herron and McCandless said these programs are the best way for dogs who have yet to be adopted to meet potential adopters. 

The next few hikes are scheduled for April 5, May 24 and June 21. First-time volunteers for Hikes with Hounds must register and complete a virtual training in advance on the City of Burlington Animal Services website.