Hitting the streets!

(update: as of 2017 this program is now called Stepped In Texas & is operated in tandem with Wags, Hope & Healing Dog rescue in central Texas. Contact us at steppedintexas@gmail.com for info!)

What we do:

• We travel into low income and Spanish speaking neighborhoods with high populations of stray dogs, neighborhoods at risk of street dog fighting, and areas that have a high number of shelter surrenders.

• We do not judge or lecture

• We go in and offer help by teaching basic commands, basic agility, handing out information on proper confinement, social skills, disease prevention and child and dog safety. A large majority of our information is about animal cruelty, the importance of spay/neuter, vaccines, and disease control along with where they can get free/low cost medical help for their dogs.

• We supply new collars, leashes and treats in exchange for the chains and ropes they come with.

• We also will supply crates, and offer help to secure fences if needed; to help make the dogs inside companions instead of “resident” dogs.

Our Success

• We have been told that the areas we have already visited have had fewer calls to the animal cruelty department.

• We have seen families work together as a team-building a stronger bond with the entire family.

• We have seen dogs being viewed more as family then just an animal that lives outside-making them less of a material object.

• We have been able to socialize the dogs- making them less “feral”.

• We have been successful at forcing street dog fighters out of area. After our class, we post Dog Fighting Reward Posters supplied by HSUS to ward off any potential street fighters that may decide to use that dead-end or cul-de-sac for their impulse fights.

What we need

• Volunteers-no experience needed

• Spanish translators

• Leashes, collars

• Used crates

• Neighborhoods- if you know an area in need, please contact us.