When you walk through an animal shelter, you are only seeing a small piece of who each dog truly is. Shelters can be busy places. There are unfamiliar sounds, new smells, people coming and going, and other animals nearby. Even with dedicated staff and volunteers working hard to provide enrichment, exercise, and individual attention, the shelter environment is very different from a home. For some dogs, that can make it difficult to show visitors their true personalities. That is where a simple field trip can make a world of difference. At the Gloucester-Mathews Humane Society, we love seeing our shelter dogs get the opportunity to leave the kennel behind for a few hours and enjoy an adventure with a volunteer. A field trip might mean a walk on a local trail, a ride around town, a visit to a pet-friendly business, or simply relaxing with a new friend away from the sights and sounds of the shelter. To a dog waiting for a home, those few hours are anything but ordinary. Getting out of the ...