By Megan Stock
On the far north side of Tulsa you will find a building that houses lost, abused or abandoned dogs and cats. The SPCA takes in unwanted animals and rehabs them so that they can be placed in new loving homes.
The organization's new program to help these animals called “Jog the Dogs.” It was started by Elaine Palmquist.
“Jog the Dogs" brings together Tulsa SPCA dogs with area runners and walkers. The idea is to partner dogs who love to play with people who want to walk or jog dogs.
The program wants people of all ages and abilities. Some volunteers are trail runners, Leukemia Team in Training coaches & participants, & tri-athletes. The only requirements are that you be 18 years of age, attend a Jog the Dogs orientation for training, and love to spend time with dogs!” Palmquist said.
I recently saw first-hand just how beneficial the program is.
Since it was my first time I had to go the orientation program, learning the basics about dog handling. With tails wagging and loud barking in the background it was hard to not be excited.
If you not a serious runner, you can choose to take your chosen pup for a walk instead of a run, which for me was just as fun. You can see how happy it makes the dogs as soon as you walk into their kennels, and how they light up once they can get out of their pens.
"Last fall I began volunteering at the Tulsa SPCA," Palmquist said. "I was trying to find the right fit, and see how I might be most helpful to the organization. I thought about how my own two dogs love running with me. So I approached Rhonda Lang, a TSPCA staff member, about running the SPCA's dogs. She was very supportive and gave me the go ahead.”
Palmquist, who has always been an animal lover,m was inspired to start the program when she found herself wanting to do more for the dogs.
“On one of my runs, I began brainstorming about recruiting runners and walkers to the SPCA to do the same thing I was doing," she said. "That's how it all began! I approached the RunnersWorld Tulsa store owners, Brian and Kathy Hoover, about talking to their marathon/half marathon training groups to try to recruit.
"Kathy then added my little story to her e-newsletter, and word began to spread. I started having Jog the Dogs orientations in February for those interested runners and walkers who contacted me," she said.
The program is extremely rewarding.
“Just seeing the joy on everyone's faces—canine & human!—when they're out for a jog or walk," she said. "The dogs love the one-on-one attention and the sense of freedom and adventure of getting out on the road or meadow trails by the SPCA with their exercise pals. And it's so rewarding and fun for the volunteers.
"Two Jog the Dogs volunteers have actually adopted dogs they fell for while participating in the program,” Palmquist said.
The program has already shown growth since its beginning and most of the orientation classes are filling up. Palmquist hopes that in the future, the program will keep on growing and that more local shelters will pick up on it.
For more information, check out their website here, or contact Elaine Palmquist at lanypalm@hotmail.com or the SPCA at 918-428-SPCA (7722).
Megan Stock studies communication at Tulsa University.
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