BEMIDJI — Dogs seem to have it pretty easy in family life, but for those still seeking their forever homes, things can get kind of rough.
Great River Rescue Executive Director Marina Lovell saw the need for a project right around the time she started working at the no-kill shelter in Bemidji during December 2023.
She said she was inspired by a deaf dog at the shelter, who arrived the same day she started.
“I watched and observed and I felt for a while, and then I figured it out: that we needed an area for them,” Lovell said. “Stormfly was never going to be able to be off leash, because she couldn't hear. It's why she became a stray twice.”
Construction on the 6-foot-tall chain-link fence, dug 2 feet deep into the ground, wrapped up in September. Lovell said that without adequate exercise and stimulation, large dogs especially are prone to undesirable behaviors.
“As much as we would like our dogs to be, and our cats, to be adopted within a week or two, if they're here for months at a time, that kennel stress is real,” Lovell said.
Kennel stress can present a variety of symptoms, according to Lovell, such as depression, aggression and resource-guarding — all behaviors that can make dogs less likely to be adopted. With a 2-acre fenced in lot, there is now plenty of room for dogs to roam.
While the space is fairly new for the shelter dogs, it is already bringing signs of relief among the larger breeds, Lovell said.
“Bringing [them] out here was so good for them to have a change of space, a change of area, different trees to be able to smell,” Lovell said. “You could see that it made an improvement for them.”
Lovell hopes to make the park available to the public on a reservation basis soon. The public is invited to Great River Rescue’s “Howl-o-Ween" Walk, 4:30-6:30 p.m. Oct. 25.
People and dogs can explore the new play area and the trails, and dogs can bob for apples. With a costume contest, photo opportunities and prizes on the line, costumes are strongly encouraged.
The cost is $5 per person and dogs are free, with proceeds going to support Great River Rescue.
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