Mass Street Mutts is a program that was launched by the Lawrence Humane Society in May 2025. So far the program has seen quite a bit of success, with 59 individuals taking dogs out for a day during the month of June alone. Throughout this time period, 17 dogs have subsequently been adopted due to the program where individuals are encouraged to take a dog out for a day on an adventure whether that be taking them for a walk, out to lunch with friends, or even spending some time at the office with some coworkers. The program is pretty flexible and is aimed at giving dogs a day out of the humane society and bringing joy to people who want to help out and enjoy having a dog around for a bit. 

Volunteer Coordinator Ashley Rice-Keen and Marketing and Development Coordinator Sydney Martin, had previously attended a conference in Arizona, looking for new and better ways to get the community involved with the Lawrence Humane Society. Throughout their time, they recognized that a program like this would allow the community to get involved in a fun and helpful way.

“It is a low-commitment, high-impact way to get involved,” said Rice-Keen, “Half the dogs who have gone out for a day have already been adopted.”

The program works by allowing the dogs to get a day out, which gives them some time away from the humane society to go out into the world and have some fun, and is also a good way for someone to get involved, who wants to help out and get connected, but cannot commit to full-time fostering role. Ultimately, this program allows more information about the dog to come to light, and the more a dog gets taken out, the more people and those who work at the humane society are able to get to know the dogs better in a new, even more natural environment.

The way it works is an individual is able to sign up online and pick a time slot. After they fill out a form, which asks specific questions in order to get a good idea for which dog would fit the criteria of the type of person as well as the type of adventure the dog will be taken on, they will be emailed back and get all set up from there. The humane society provides all the supplies needed to ensure that the day goes successful, which includes wipes, bags, a harness, and even some snacks and treats for the animal. After picking up the animal, an individual is then able to start their adventure and enjoy a few hours with the dog before bringing them back at the end of the day. 

Martin and Rice-Keen both recommended that laying down some towels or making room in one’s car beforehand is a great way to prepare for the adventure. Along with this, getting some extra treats for the adventure is also another way someone can prepare for the experience. The more adventures the dogs get to go on, the more likely they are to get adopted. 

“Ultimately, saving the dog’s life,” Rice-Keen said, referring to dogs who may be at-risk for being at the shelter for a while and just needing some exposure for the possibility of getting adopted. This exposure is great for times where dogs are about to be adopted and those pictures and stories about them outside of the shelter can be the extra push a potential owner needs to make that big commitment. 

Another humane society that has a similar program is Maui Humane Society in Puunene, Hawaii.  Their “Dogs on Demand” program has a similar feel where dogs are able to be taken out for the day on adventures with either visitors or natives in order to keep the dogs more active and vibrant. According to their website, this program aims to “provide outing opportunities for the dogs who most need a break from the shelter.” These types of programs have given more traffic to shelters and allowed for people to get the feel of owning an animal and see just how adopting could fit right into their lifestyle depending on their experience. 

It is also encouraged to take some photos and videos of the dogs while on the adventure, which can be used during the adoption process or on the Lawrence Humane Society social media and website pages. 

“The amount of wonderful photos we’ve received from folks who go on outings has been so amazing to use on our social media, in the wet nose news, and for features in the local newspapers,” said Martin. 

Overall, the program is an impactful way for people in the Lawrence community to get involved and get to spend some time with some of the dogs. In the best-case scenario, there could be a chance the dog taken out might become the dog an individual chooses to foster or even adopt. Even if that isn’t the case, it can be a new and different way to change up the day and create some nuance for a dog wanting to have some fun outside of the shelter.