Thanks to volunteer efforts, Forked River dogs now get walked every day and can socialize with their new friends.

Several months ago, Zoo Director John Bergmann and Board Member Barbara Lathrop met with Fran Stietzel concerning a dog walking system. Under Barbara's aegis and Fran, they also met with Lisa Flynn who volunteers at an Ocean County shelter to use as a model for the dogs at Popcorn Park. Lisa and some of her staff joined Popcorn Park to help train new volunteers . Sandy started Facebook and is also continuing to train volunteers. With the dogwalking program, the dogs receive one-on-one walks so their energy level is diminished and this “time out” helps in coping with the depression and despair that many of them experience while waiting for adoption. The dogs come in as strays, victims of abuse, unwanted, owners who are evicted . Their time at our shelter can be traumatic and stressful. Under this program, they can socialize with their walker to help soothe their fears during their stay until a forever home is found.