BAKERSFIELD, Calif. (KERO) — For many animals at the Kern County Animal Servicesshelter they are left there for days, sometimes even longer, and the streets of Bakersfield program allows people to take a pet for a few hours to take a break from the shelter.
“Foster is one that we depend on, and there is long term foster, and short term foster, foster is usually just taking animals for a short period of time. Well the Streets of Bakersfield Program is a very short period of time," says Nick Cullen.
Nick Cullen the director of Kern County Animal Services says that the Streets of Bakersfield Program is a good way to help relieve stress on the sheltered animals, and also it is a good way to get feedback.
“The most important thing is that you fill out the report card when you come back to tell us all the fun things the animal did because it gives us invaluable information about the animal’s behavior outside the shelter," said Cullen.
Residents like Stephanie Frank will agree that the Streets of Bakersfield Program is a great way of getting to know the pet prior to adoption.
“They get to get out of the shelter you get to see who they are not in a cage because who’s who they really are when they are locked up in a cage they get out you get some experience and you get some first-hand knowledge from the community of what these animals are really like," said Frank.
If you are wondering what you can do with the animal you decide to take for a few hours: “Most of our participants, they take the dogs to you know a coffee shop and get them a pup drink or a puppuccino, something take them to the park take them to home.”
Cullen says that sometimes people will decide to adopt the sheltered animals, but even if they don’t it still helps.
“We do sometimes you know do a little hmm maybe, maybe they are going to adopt them, but really it’s just such a benefit for the animals to leave the shelter even for just a short period of time," said Cullen.
