A pawsitive impact at the shelter

Get ready to learn more about a pawsome dog each month with the Dog of the Month program. The Dartmouth Animal Control office has partnered with the Humane Society and Shelter Southcoast to start the program, aimed at helping pets at the shelter get adopted. 

“Really the main goal was the exposure for them,” said Devin Cloutier, Dartmouth’s animal control officer. “I really wanted to focus on some of the dogs that have been here longer .… They might have more specific needs to find the right home.”

The June dog of the month is Humpty Dumpty, a 1-year-old pitbull mix whose main personality trait is excitement, Cloutier said, explaining that the inspiration for his name comes from the fact that he may not be the most graceful. 

Humpty Dumpty was a “dump dog,” and was abandoned on the side of the road in Wareham. 

“He is the sweetest boy, he loves every person, he loves dogs,” said Cloutier. 

She added, “Maybe not the brightest, but the sweetest for sure.”

Cloutier said the best home for Humpty Dumpty would be an active one with people ready to teach him new tricks and go on runs. Because of the fact his love is often clumsy, they recommend he go to a home without cats and with children over 12 to 15-years-old.

“He’s just a very goofy dog,” said Cloutier. “He looks at you and he gets his tooth stuck on his lip, and he just gives you those silly facial expressions all the time.”

The program began in May to help get Skye, a cattle dog/husky, adopted. She was at the shelter for almost a year, long after her mother and littermates got adopted. She was adopted for 13 hours, and brought back due to “no fault of her own.” 

Skye was highlighted on social media and on posters around town. After 315 days, Skye found her “furever” home. 

Cloutier hopes to expand the dog of the month program to help not just dogs but cats and birds at the shelter as well.

“We’re probably going to be posting some of the senior dogs that are looking for kind of hospice, end of life home. You know, they have medical needs,” she said. “Big dogs, little dogs, excited dogs and sleepy dogs. All of them."

The plan for dog of the month is to have their photo and information posted around town, such as on social media and in Town Hall. She hopes to have the dogs’ posters make appearances in high traffic areas as well, such as at the new Barks and Tails Dog Park.

“Hopefully this might lead to being able to sponsor different adoption costs or if it’s a medical … necessity that they might need,” said Cloutier. “It’s really just to get these guys into homes.”

Before adopting, families must consider if they are ready for the over 10 year commitment a dog brings and the type of personality they would want their dog to have, Cloutier said.

“I think for everybody, it’s really going to be about finding the right fit,” she said, “So that’s why when we do the dog of the month, … I really want to be able to highlight each dog’s individual needs that maybe people kind of overlook.”

An important mantra is “Three days to decompress, three weeks to learn routines, three months to feel fully at home.”

If interested in Humpty Dumpty or any of the other pets at the shelter, call the Humane Society at (508) 995-6661 to learn more about the animals. 

This will be a monthly program, with the July dog of the month probably being Bonnie the beagle, who was found wandering in the woods. She is now gaining weight and loves people and treats. 

She is described as easily being able to trick an owner into letting her be 70 pounds with her cute begging face. 

“Sometimes a little extra bit of exposure is just enough to find the right person,” said Cloutier.