A new dog-walking programme is up and running at Ljubljana animal shelter and started with a campaign called 'Show them you care! Sponsor an abandoned animal from the shelter!'

Ljubljana Shelter for Abandoned Animals is the largest in Slovenia. The practices and approaches at the shelter are being constantly developed on the bases of previous experience and professional knowledge. The new dog-walking programme is one of the important milestones in the improving care of abandoned dogs.

We opted for these changes on the bases of our own experience and recommendations from successful shelters or animal-protection organisations from abroad. Among the best-known is certainly the Dogs Trust, which operates 19 shelters throughout the UK.

In recent years there have been too many changes among the walkers as we see more than 700 new walkers a year. Unfortunately, many walkers have not had sufficient expertise in animal handling and have confused the dogs with divergent approaches, or lacking in or even wrongly taught, thereby endangering their own safety, and the safety of the dogs and the environment.

In the new programme, dogs are not walked by numerous random people but by those that have successfully completed a course in dog-walking at Ljubljana Shelter. Via the new programme and the first course, carried out within our own organisation, we acquired the first 18 competent voluntary walkers, who received their diplomas on Saturday 20 August 2011. At the course, participants learned about dog behaviour, canine psychology and dogs' learning processes. They also learned about working with dogs on the principle of natural training, based on classic, operative and reverse conditioning. The classes were led by an experienced dog handler, now newly-employed at Ljubljana shelter as a dog keeper – leader.

The dogs are no longer listless, self-dependent and hard to manage. They are much more contented and less anxious and as such are easier to find adoptive parents for, which is the main goal of Ljubljana shelter.

All those who would like to do so are invited to become volunteer walkers at Ljubljana shelter. The course can be attended by anyone who would like to walk dogs at Ljubljana shelter and who successfully completes the questionnaire. There is to be a new dog-walking course in September 2011.

With the intention of covering the costs of the entire programme, Ljubljana has also launched a new campaign called 'Show them you care! Sponsor an abandoned animal from the shelter!'

Any individual or organisation can become a sponsor by entering into a contract for that purpose with the shelter for a selected animal or general sponsorship. The funds raised will be used to provide abandoned animals with expert help and to enable them to have more personal contact with people, better accommodation and thus many animals will have a shorter road to a new home.

Man's best friend with a wagging tail and the staff of Ljubljana animal shelter will be sincerely grateful to you. Together, we can give abandoned dogs a brighter future.

With kind regards from Ljubljana Shelter for Abandoned Animals.

Contact:
Marko Oman dr. vet. med., manager, Ljubljana Shelter for Abandoned Animals
E: marko.oman@zavetisce-ljubljana.si