Special Programs
We do even more when we partner with our friends in the community. From the Lake County Juvenile Court to area food pantries to domestic violence shelters, we are open to working together to reach common goals. Below are a few examples including an accordion on shelter enrichment best practices. We want our pets and yours to stay healthy and happy.
Enrichment Activities
Enrichment activities and socialization are beneficial for both humans and animals!
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Thanks to Lake County Juvenile Court Senior Judge Thomas P. Stefaniak Jr., we offer an enrichment program at the Lake County Juvenile Complex (LCJC) that brings together incarcerated youths and shelter dogs.
Shelter socialization programs are often used in correctional facilities. However, this program is the first of its kind, as it focuses on at-risk youths, ages 13-18, in a correctional-type juvenile facility. “Animals have a way of helping people lower their guard and open up about their feelings,” said Judge Stefaniak. “Our detained kids have an opportunity to help socialize the dogs and make them more adoptable; it benefits everyone,” he added.
More than 100 youths have already gone through the program since its inception in 2019. “At-risk youth learn proper animal handling, canine body language and positive reinforcement techniques,” said Jessica Petalas, Humane Indiana Shelter Director. “It’s therapeutic for youth and opens up a pathway to an animal welfare career by giving them some experience,” she added. Humane Indiana Volunteers take shelter dogs once a week to work with the youths at LCJC. If you would like to become a volunteer for the program, please email us at info@humaneindiana.org
Our commitment to the animals and our community reaches far beyond our animal shelter doors, and building partnerships within the region is always rewarding. We are excited to share this particular one with you.
Our commitment to the animals and our community reaches far beyond our animal shelter doors, and building partnerships within the region is always rewarding.
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WHAT IS ENRICHMENT?
By definition the word enrichment means to improve. Enrichment programs are designed to provide pets the ability to practice normal animal behaviors. As a direct result of enrichment programs we help prevent:
Boredom,
Frustration, and
The occurrence of stress related behaviors.
We believe enrichment is a right and a non-negotiable requirement for our shelter pets. Multiple times a day in various ways, we provide stimulation to each of the senses: sight, smell, touch, taste and sound.
THERE ARE SEVERAL TYPES OF ENRICHMENT
Housing enrichment
Food enrichment
Stimulating the five senses
Exercise
Activity
Social contact
HOW DOES ENRICHMENT HELP AND WHY IS IT IMPORTANT?
No matter how great the enrichment program, a shelter will never be a suitable substitute for a home environment. Even the best shelters bombard pet senses with noises from cleaning, visitors, other animals, unappealing scents of other animal’s excrement and odorous cleaning supplies, unfamiliar surroundings, unfamiliar sounds and so on. The effect on the animal varies from pet to pet. The longer an animal stays in a shelter environment, the more likely they will succumb to the stress, boredom, or frustration brought on by this environment.
Our goal is to prevent this from happening. A successful enrichment program will improve a shelter pet’s behavioral health along with its physical health.
Some examples are:
For cats, the number one culprit for upper respiratory infections is brought on by stress. A happy and healthy animal will get adopted faster than one with either behavioral or health issues.
Enrichment for dogs helps them develop skills they will carry for the rest of their lives. These skills can help keep pets in their home and decrease the return rate to a shelter.
ENRICHMENT FOR DOGS
Download our enrichment information for dogs
Canine Food Dispensing Toys (PDFs)
Download our enrichment information for cats.
Feline Enrichment Scratching Items
Feline Enrichment Perches and Hiding Spots
TRAINING METHODS WE DO SUPPORT
A proper shelter enrichment program provides an experience with positive-based behavioral and training. At Humane Indiana, we choose to focus on positive reinforcement, operant, and classical conditioning or Marker-Based Training.
Clicker-trained dogs spend time anticipating good things to come. Meaning their brains are engaged as they try to find ways to make the clicker go off again. The clicker is a tool to foster the human/animal relationship based on trust and clear communication, rather than fear or the anticipation of something bad to come.
TRAINING METHODS WE DO NOT SUPPORT
Humane Indiana does not support punishment-based training. Punishment-based/traditional training (prong, shock, etc.) builds a relationship where the dog is conditioned to expect something bad to happen. He/she will spend time figuring out how to avoid these stimuli, causing the dog to be fearful, apprehensive, or aggressive.
Example: the beep of the shock collar to a dog, is similar to us at home in bed in the middle of the night, hearing glass breaking in the other room. It produces fear and uncertainty.
Punishment-based/traditional training involves physical manipulation and forced compliance that does not allow the dog the opportunity to understand what is being asked of him before adding in an aversive of some kind. Science has found this less effective.
Punishment does not teach correct behavior, it focuses on telling the dog what not to do/ stopping the behavior.
It contributes to the retaliatory behavior toward, or avoidance of, the owner/others in the environment.
It can create uncertainty in the learner and damage trust.
The internal control of the behavior is not learned and ceases to work in the absence of the punisher.
HELP US PROVIDE POSITIVE ENRICHMENT ACTIVITIES FOR OUR SHELTER PETS
Your donations help support our enrichment program for cats and dogs during their stay with us.
Kongs
Spray cheese
Hot dogs
Peanut butter
Cat food dispensing toys
Dog puzzle feeders
Empty cereal boxes
Brown paper bags
Feliway diffusers and refills
Shower curtain rings
Cat condos
Cat toys
Amazon Gift Cards
We appreciate your support!
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