One Detroit animal welfare organization is making adoption safe during the coronavirus with its Cuddle Shuttle — and others need help, too

By Jerilyn Jordan

Mar 18, 2020 at 1:30 pm

Audio By Carbonatix

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One Detroit animal welfare organization is making adoption safe during the coronavirus with its Cuddle Shuttle — and others need help, too

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Thanks to a new mobile program launched by the Friends of Detroit Animal Care and Control, 34 dogs have new homes during the coronavirus pandemic.

On Monday, shortly after Gov. Gretchen Whitmer ordered all metro Detroit restaurants and bars to temporarily close in response to the growing threat of the COVID-19 coronavirus, the DACC rolled out a free solution to combat closures and overwhelmed shelters — the Cuddle Shuttle.

Many of the DACC's upcoming adoption and volunteer workshop-oriented events — and those hosted by other animal welfare organizations — have faced postponement or cancellation. The Cuddle Shuttle program eliminates the need to leave the house to search for your new furry companion by bringing your selected animal to your home.

The DACC will now offer an online application for select dogs currently sheltered. Upon review, a volunteer will reach out to you and voila — your new best friend delivered to your door.

According to a posting made on Tuesday, the need for quarantine pals resulted in 34 dog adoptions, leaving 118 dogs still in-shelter. The organization is in need of fosters and volunteers to assist with their adoptable doggy backlog.

Detroit Dog Rescue is also in need of foster families to accommodate housing its selection of big dogs after it was forced to shut down its volunteer program due to coronavirus concerns. Following a FOX 2 Detroit segment, the DDR saw major success with fostering a large number of dogs but announced via Facebook that it still needs help.

“Our small and young dogs have all found foster homes, but if you’re a #BigDog lover, we need you!” the post reads. “We have plenty of big dogs who will love cheese pizza, Netflix, and long walks with you.”

To take a look at the DACC's adoptable animals available through Cuddle Shuttle visit their Facebook page. For those interested in adopting through the program, email [email protected].

To inquire about adoptable animals available through Detroit Dog Rescue or for more information on how to foster visit detroitdogrescue.com.

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