Take a dog out of the shelter and make their day!

Woof!

(That’s dog for “best day ever!”)

Our Dog’s Day Out program is a great way to give our pups a break from the shelter environment and get them seen by potential adopters! You can take one of our pups to the park, go for a hike or simply relax in your home. The potential for fun is endless!​

No prior volunteer experience needed!

Dog’s Day Out program guidelines:

  • Participating humans MUST be 18 years or older.

  • BARCS will select a list of eligible dogs for you to choose from when you arrive.

  • You will be provided with a leash, harness, an “adopt-me” vest, and a backpack full of supplies.

  • Participating dogs MUST remain on leash at all times, unless in an enclosed area of your home or a private fenced-in yard.

  • Participating dogs are not allowed to go to dog parks or to meet other pets.

Dog’s Day Out FAQs

  • BARCS provides a leash and/or harness best suited for your dog, along with a backpack of supplies. Additionally in your backpack, you will find a folder with a report card, recommended places to go, FAQs, social media ideas and links, and BARCS contact information.

  • It’s up to you! You can take them on a car ride to go get a pup-cone, take them to your home for a few hours for playtime and naps, or hang out with them around Baltimore for a the day. All dogs must be returned to our shelter by 4 p.m. on weekdays and 12 p.m. on weekends. Alternatively, if you wish to spend more time with your dog, you can become their official foster!

  • Dog’s Day Out give our dogs a much-needed “break” from the stress of the shelter. They also help us learn about that pet’s behavior and their likes, dislikes. This helps us find them homes faster.

  • Take naps

    Play fetch in the backyard

    Go on a car ride to get a snack

    Hang out on a patio around Baltimore

    Go on a hike

    Hang out with friends to meet new people

  • You cannot go to a dog park

    You cannot interact with other pets in the home

    You cannot give the dog away to someone

    You cannot let the dog off leash in a public and/or unfenced area

  • No! You don’t need to be a resident of Baltimore City to participate in Dog’s Day Out. However, we do ask that you stay within a reasonable distance of our shelter during your outing and keep your phone on you in case we need to reach you!

  • No special training is needed. When you arrive at our shelter, you will be met by our staff who will walk you through the rules and the contents of your day-out backpack!

  • Each day, BARCS keeps a list of dogs who would greatly benefit from a break from the shelter. When you arrive, you have the option of BARCS picking a dog for you that staff feel needs it the most or picking your outing buddy from the list of eligible pups.

  • Due to the constant flux of dogs in and out of the shelter, we cannot guarantee requests to be paired with a dog that excludes specific breeds, energy levels or sizes. While we are unable to make any guarantees, with more than 100 dogs in our shelter at all times, we will likely have a dog that matches your handling abilities–so c’mon down!

“Sounds fun! Sign me up.”

Share your adventure!

Be sure to post about your fun day with your shelter dog on social media! Potential adopters love to see adoptable dogs enjoying a day outside of the shelter. You never know who may be watching, and your friends can always share your post to reach even more people.

Links and tags to share photos and videos from your Dog's Day Out:

We may also share your outing to our social media channels, feature the story in a blog post, use the story for greater promotion of our programs, and will use the information to better advertise the dog to potential adopters who come into our shelter. We cannot thank you enough for capturing valuable information about our shelter dogs!