The shelter lobbies filled with volunteers, then the kennel doors began opening. Nearly 400 dogs from six Los Angeles Animal Services shelters climbed into cars and headed outside for a few hours an unusually large exodus that would end with 23 dogs finding homes and 37 entering foster care.
The outing was organized through a partnership between Los Angeles Animal Services and the Los Angeles branch of Best Friends Animal Society. Dozens of volunteers participated in Adventure Buddy Day, giving eligible shelter dogs a temporary break from their kennels and a chance to meet people beyond the shelter.
Los Angeles Animal Services scheduled the event for Sept. 19, 2026, from 8 a.m. to 4 p.m. Its official event page described the program as an option for Angelenos who wanted to spend time with an adoptable dog but were not ready to bring one home. Reservations filled before the event, though walk-up participants could still be paired with available dogs.
Seeing a lobby full of people who took time out of their weekend to come get a shelter dog out just for a couple of hours is amazing, said Brittany Thorn, executive director of Best Friends Animal Society in Los Angeles.
Among those volunteers was Steven Szydio, who was paired with Chico, a bull terrier. Away from the shelter, Chico rested on a patch of grass and stopped for water. Szydio had signed up hoping to let Chico experience more of the world, have fun and meet new people. No later update was provided about whether Chico was adopted, fostered or remained available.
What a few hours outside can accomplish
A day-out program is not simply a matter of handing over a leash. Participating shelters decide which dogs are eligible, match them with appropriate volunteers and establish rules intended to protect the dog and the public. The exact matching and safety procedures used during the Los Angeles event were not detailed publicly.
Programs elsewhere illustrate how those safeguards can work. OC Animal Care’s Dog’s Day Out program, for example, requires adult participants and an enclosed, air-conditioned vehicle. Dogs receive supplies including water bowls, waste bags and adoption information. Visits to dog parks and interactions with other animals are prohibited.
Pima Animal Care Center similarly notes that not every dog is eligible for its outings. Health or behavioral concerns may limit participation, and staff help visitors choose an appropriate companion. Its day-trip guidance also requires an adult to remain in control of the dog and bars visits to dog parks and schools.
Those boundaries matter because the value of an outing can extend beyond recreation. Time in public can introduce an adoptable dog to potential families and allow volunteers to notice how that individual responds in a different environment. Short outings and overnight foster stays are not interchangeable, however. Research summarized by Shelter Animals Count found that temporary foster stays lowered dogs’ stress, while brief outings did not show the same stress reduction. Foster-to-adopt trials also frequently lead to permanent adoptions.
In Los Angeles, the immediate placement numbers provided a concrete result. Best Friends Animal Society reported that 23 participating dogs went to permanent homes and 37 entered foster care a total of 60 dogs whose circumstances changed through the event. It remains unclear whether those foster placements were later finalized as adoptions or whether more participating dogs found placements afterward.
For the others, including Chico unless a later placement occurred, the known outcome is smaller but still tangible: a car ride, grass beneath their bodies, a drink of water and a few hours beyond the kennel door.
Have you ever adopted a dog with a story like this? Share it in the comments.
By Jake Patterson — Freelance feature writer and former animal-shelter volunteer focused on rescue, adoption, and second-chance dog stories.
