'Rent-A-Dog' program allows volunteers to spend quality time with shelter dogs

CAMDEN, NJ (WTXF) - A new program in Camden County, New Jersey will allow volunteers to spend a few hours of quality time with rescued pets looking for a permanent home.

Brownie is a 5-year-old shelter dog, he's up for adoption at Camden County Animal Shelter. When you see him he makes and immediate impact that shows you his gentle demeanor.

He was brutally attacked by two dogs thrown into his yard, required major surgery to repair damage to his face and has been abandoned not once but twice. Hearing that story and the issues that many would assume come with it could create a challenge for Brownie getting adopted. Due to dogs like Brownie and dogs like him, Michael Bricker, the shelter operations director, says creativity is required.

"2017 we ended at 90% live release, which is the national average to be a no kill facility. But that's not where we want to end, we want to save as many lives as possible. So in order to do that we have to come up with new innovative ideas and programs," he told FOX 29.

Seeing how loving Brownie is in spite of the abuse, getting a chance to spend a few hours with a Pit Bull mix named Marley and getting a look at the faces of so many rescue dogs vs just hearing stories of abandoned and abused dogs and breeds that scare some makes most of us look at them differently and that's one of the many reasons for the new Rent a Dog program. Bricker explained the plan.

"Maybe some people are not able to have dogs in the apartment they live in or we have a lot of college students that live in dorms and can't have dogs but they want to walk dogs they want to help dogs so we thought of the 'Rent-A-Dog program'.

People come in and can take certain dogs for as long as a few hours. Take them home, show them to a friend who may be considering adopting. The renter gets the companionship and the dogs get out of the cages and get a chance to make people fall in love. And just a week into the program, it's working.

Loaning dogs out may seem controversial to some but to puppies like Munchkin, Miss Hippo, Mr. Hunk and Brownie, it's a chance to make life better in the shelter while increasing the chances they quickly get out For Goodness Sake.