Le Chateau Pet Resort’s partnership with Humane Society has Paw-sitive impact on shelter dogs

Le Chateau Pet Resort is known in Wichita Falls for providing a safe, comfortable stay for pets, but what the community may not know is that they also have an initiative to help address the stray crisis in the city. Their “Day of Play” gives adoptable dogs a break from the shelter and a platform to appeal to potential adopters.

The General Manager of the Wichita Falls branch of Le Chateau, Becca Bollinger, said she started the initiative with the Humane Society in 2022. She said the partnership was inspired by one their sister location in Amarillo had with their branch of the ASPCA (The American Society for the Prevention of Cruelty to Animals). However, their work with the Humane Society of Wichita County has proven even more fruitful than the partnership of the Amarillo location, with dozens of dogs having been adopted since it began.

“Le Chateau was founded by Dawn Hallgren, who used to work in animal rescue, so it’s really near and dear to her heart to have adoptable dogs here — to pamper them like they deserve, and possibly find them a perfect forever home,” Bollinger said.

Bollinger explained that the “Day of Play” takes place every Tuesday, from January through October each year. She said each Tuesday she arrives at the Humane Society early in the morning and picks up a dog that shelter staff selected. Each dog is fully vetted and fixed. Generally, the selection is based on the dog's need for a break from the shelter or need for visibility to potential adopters. 

This week’s lucky dog was Mercy. Her bio notes that she’s 8-10 years old and is a mixed breed. After her “Day of Play,” staff said she enjoys taking life at a slower pace, loves attention and cuddles, and will absolutely melt for treats. As far as interacting with other dogs goes, she is an advocate of personal space and tolerates other dogs until they overstep that boundary. Those interested in adopting her can reach out to the Humane Society of Wichita County at 940-855-4941.

Once the selected dog arrives at Le Chateau, Bollinger said they get the full luxury experience. Each dog that participates in the day of play gets a bath and nail trim, playtime (with or without other dogs depending on temperament), a personality evaluation, affection from staff, lots of treats, and portrait-worthy pictures.

“I think it’s amazing for these dogs to have a day out to relax,” Bollinger said. “The Humane Society does their best, but any shelter is going to be a bit loud and a bit of a non-ideal environment long-term, so I think showing off their personalities and giving them space to decompress and feel refreshed and get to play with other pups is really good for their mental health.”

After each dog's day at the resort, Bollinger posts pictures of them and notable qualities from their personality evaluation to the Le Chateau Facebook page. From there, the shelter can share the post and increase the visibility each dog gets. 

Cheryl Heineken, the Director of the Humane Society of Wichita County said she appreciates the “Day of Play” because it’s a day devoted to making that dog feel special. She noted that she’s especially grateful for the quality pictures they take. 

“They take excellent pictures of our dogs. They have a really good setup out there where they can get some really clear pictures of each dog,” Heineken said.

Heineken went on to add that, so far this year, every dog Le Chateau has hosted has been adopted, except one. Heineken said the only dog to have not been adopted yet is Bailey, who was featured in June. Bailey is a two year old pitbull terrier mix that is sweet, energetic, and does great with other dogs. Anyone interested in giving Bailey the home he’s been looking for should reach out to the Humane Society.

Bollinger said the series of photos they get for each dog is what really seems to stand out to people. She noted that there have been times that people traveled from many miles away to adopt a dog they featured, simply based on the photos. Bollinger believes it’s because the series of photos reflect the dog’s personality better than the singular photo shelters usually have the time to snap.

Additionally, a photo from each dog’s day at the resort is added to a board that hangs in the lobby. The board hosts all the dogs that participated in “Day of Play” that year. It’s divided into two sides: one that indicates the dogs still available for adoption, and one that shows the dogs that have found homes. Once the year is over, the photos are added to an album that is categorized by year. 

“I really do think that a picture is worth a thousand words. You know, we write the bios saying how we think the dog behaved during the day, but really it’s the pictures that just blow people away,” Bollinger said.

Bollinger pointed out that the board of photos have even helped some dogs get adopted by clients of the resort. She said it’s a great way for clients to find the right fit for a furry sibling because it’s more curated than just walking into a shelter or looking at posts. She explained that staff get to know all the dogs, including the ones that participate in “Day of Play”, and can identify which dogs do well together. Bollinger noted that she’s even had some clients personally assign her with the task of helping them pick an adoptable dog that could be a suitable match for their furry family member.

Bollinger emphasized how much joy the “Day of Play” brings her, because she knows she’s helping dogs in need. With the continual occurrence of strays being taken in across the city and euthanized because they aren’t adopted, it brings her some level of comfort to know she’s doing something to address the issue. Further, it’s a legacy that Le Chateau will likely carry on.

However, it doesn’t take a pet resort setup to make a difference. Bollinger encourages all community members to be proactive in addressing the stray crisis. She noted that even a seemingly small act can make a big difference. She suggested volunteering at the shelter or taking a dog for a day out from the shelter to decompress. The only way this community concern can be addressed is if the community comes together to address it.

“Anything that can give these dogs a better chance of being adopted — there are so many pets in the shelter that it’s hard to highlight them all, but even just one person taking one dog a week can really make a difference,” Bollinger concluded.