Fun Ways to Help Out and Stay Active While Traveling

Traveling with the whole crew, solo or with your partner can really shake up your routine. Whether you’re an early morning runner, late afternoon city explorer or looking for any excuse to get to the park and tire out the rambunctious kids on your next family trip, wouldn’t it all be so much more fun if you had a rescue dog along?

Klaus. Photo Credit: Humane Society Silicon Valley, Mutual Rescue

You can keep up with your daily workouts and give back to the community by taking a rescue pup for the day. The pup gets its fresh air and exercise, the shelter gets a much-needed helping hand and you get a fun friend to explore a new city with. Believe it or now, such a concept exists: Enter Mutual Rescue’s Doggy Day Out program.

Tigger’s Doggy Day Out. Photo: Jennifer Arn of Santa Rosa County Animal Shelter, Florida, Mutual Rescue

Travelers and families of all shapes and sizes can get their workout in and give back, all in one day. Use the program to take a dog from a local shelter on a family outing. The kids may fall in love with the pup, hazard of the job, so if you’re not looking to adopt just be sure to fully explain the operation to the family — this is a limited-time only visit that gives back to the community while benefiting the family for a fun day out on the town. You can always share your day on social media and help the pup find a home.

Doggy Day Out encourages local volunteers and out-of-towners to walk a shelter dog in a new locale. Feel free to take the dogs on a nature walk, off-season beach day or just run around with the kids at a nearby park. With the winter season upon us and already showing signs of changing weather around the country, a fun day out can also include a snowy walk (a great excuse to get the kids out in the snow, even on vacation), sleepovers by the fire, an adventurous hike, dining out at a pet-friendly restaurant and really anything your family can think of and your rescue for the day would enjoy.

Doggy field trip. Photo Credit: Louisville Metro Animal Services Volunteers, Mutual Rescue

“Doggy Day Out only requires minimal training commitments for participants,” said Carol Novello, founder, Mutual Rescue. “It encourages members of the public who normally wouldn’t have time to volunteer to engage with their local shelter and advocate for the dogs. It’s also a great excuse to get out and get some exercise or explore with a canine sidekick.”

Get your exercise and good deed in, after all ‘tis the season! Find shelters in cities all over the country (more than 70 participating in 30 states) before your next family trip.

Doggy field trip. Photo Credit: Louisville Metro Animal Services Volunteers, Mutual Rescue