Adoption Rates Increase After Shelter Makes ‘Living Room’ To Simulate A Real-Life Environment

In order to prepare their shelter dogs for adoption into a real home, the Toledo Area Humane Society in Ohio decided to do something special. They converted office space to look like a living room and called it “The Real Life Room.”

The staff at the shelter cleared out one of their offices and transformed it into a quaint, little relaxation room for the dogs – complete with a comfy chair, a rug, pillows, a crate, a floor lamp, and a TV. They even added a little touch on the wall in the form of a sign that says, “All You Need is Love and a Dog.” The only thing missing for most of the dogs was a loving family.

As the shelter wrote on their Facebook beside a picture of one of their dogs, “Jake our long stay dog putting our Real- Life room to use. He is definitely enjoying the quiet, calm environment.”

The doggie living room provided the dogs with a chance to escape the normally noisy and cramped kennels and go relax in a comfortable space. A shelter volunteer would normally sit with the dogs, allowing them to feel more at ease in a typical family home scenario.

Given that the Real Life Room allowed dogs a chance to de-stress, many of them had their true personalities come out – something that was valuable in helping several dogs get adopted. It was just like the shelter was hoping!

Jake was one of the dogs who was able find his forever home not long after he was featured in the picture of the room.

The wonderful idea is definitely something that other shelters should introduce. For more information about the pets waiting for adoption at the Toledo Area Humane Society, click here to visit their website.