06/16/2026
TRUE STORIES OF A SHELTER VOLUNTEER
ALL OF THESE DOGS ARE AVAILABLE FOR ADOPTION.
PLEASE SHARE.❤️🐾🐶
On Saturday, June 6th, I went to the Santa Rosa County Animal Shelter to volunteer as a dog walker. The rainy weather slowed me down a little bit, but I was still able to take nine dogs out for some fun. Five of these dogs were ones I was meeting for the first time. Their names were Shay, Honey, Archie, Holley, and Clyde.
Shay is a beautiful girl with a shiny black coat. She walks pretty well on a leash and has a quiet, gentle personality—or at least she came across to me that way for our first meeting. Shay is about 2 years old, 60 lbs., and dog-friendly. She came into the shelter as a stray in early May 2026, and I’m hoping her time there will be short.
Honey, at just 27 lbs. and about 5 1/2 years old, is a smaller girl compared to the majority of the dogs we have most of the time. She came into the shelter in late April of this year as a stray. Her coat has subtle markings that are unique and really make her stand out in a positive way. I was able to take a few photos of her, but I never could get this sweet girl to sit for a treat so that I could get a different pose, as she didn’t like the treats I had. 😆
Archie is a cute little guy that came in as a stray in early May of this year. Archie is a big guy in a little guy’s body. When I walked Archie, I had to keep him on a leash since he had recently been neutered. As we walked, he didn’t mind letting the other dog in the play yard next to us know that he was the boss by sending him the occasional bark. He did OK as long as we didn’t walk up near the fence line where the other dog was. He is only about 2 years and 4 months old, and 17 lbs., but I don’t think he knows that. He carries himself like he could handle whatever comes his way, and maybe that’s a good thing since we don’t know his past. It just might be his coping mechanism to get him through the stressful days and nights at the shelter. I am sure he is just wondering, like the rest of the dogs there, when it’s going to be his turn for a forever home.
Where are all the little dog lovers out there? Come to the shelter and take a look. We have a number of little ones like Archie waiting for a home.
If you are a brindle lover, then you will definitely love this girl. Holley is about 2 years old and about 50 lbs. She came into the shelter in late April of this year. She is dog-friendly and is just an all-around sweet girl. Holley is currently working on her leash-walking skills and will probably need to continue after adoption, preferably with someone who can work on improving her skills more consistently. I don’t think she was ever on a leash before coming to the shelter. She tries her best to do what you want her to do, but I don’t think she quite understands what that is yet. She will walk a few steps really fast, almost hopping, then she’ll sit down and wait for you to catch up each time. She’s really rather adorable.
Clyde is basically a Norman look-alike, in my opinion. They’re both about the same age and both seem to have been born to be dog models if treats are involved. LOL! Just look at all of Clyde and Norman’s photos posted here, and you will see what I mean. Clyde is estimated to be about 5 years and 4 months old and about 60 lbs. He is dog-friendly and walks nicely on a leash. He came in as a stray with another dog that is probably his sister. The shelter named her Bonnie. She was adopted about a week ago, but Clyde is still waiting.
On this day, I also took a few other dogs to the play yard, and their names were Norman, Gracie, Kangaroo, and Remi. Everyone had a great time. All four of these dogs enjoyed the kiddie pool, as you can see in their photos. If you are looking for a dog that likes the water, one of these four would be a great choice. If you would like to meet one of these dogs, or any of our other dogs at the shelter, just stop by the Santa Rosa County Animal Services.
