Routt County Humane Society receives $7,000 grant for behavior enrichment programs

The Routt County Humane Society received a $7,000 grant from the Animal Assistance Foundation to hire a certified dog trainer to design behavior enrichment programs and offer weekly sessions for pet owners and recent adopters, the organization said.

The Routt County Humane Society received a $7,000 grant from the Animal Assistance Foundation to expand behavior enrichment work, the organization said. The funding is intended to support hiring a certified dog trainer to design programs that help shelter dogs manage stress and anxiety. The trainer will also host weekly sessions to answer behavioral questions from pet owners and provide guidance for recent adopters. The humane society noted that activities such as interactive play, targeted training and personalized support have been shown to reduce stress and improve adoption outcomes. Executive Director Elaine Hicks said the grant will help improve the well‑being of animals in their care and support efforts to prevent shelter intakes. Key details: - Grant amount: $7,000 awarded by the Animal Assistance Foundation. - Purpose: expand behavior enrichment programs for shelter animals. - Staffing: funds to hire a certified dog trainer to design programs. - Community support: trainer to hold weekly sessions for pet owners and recent adopters. - Reported benefits: interactive play, targeted training and personalized support aim to reduce stress and improve adoption outcomes. Summary: The grant is intended to improve animals' well‑being and their readiness for adoption while providing behavior support for community pet owners. The society plans to hire the trainer and begin the described enrichment programs and weekly owner sessions.