Dogs adopted at a hockey game and going home the same night. If you work in a shelter, your first reaction is probably caution, and that's fair. You know how much a dog can change between the kennel and the home. Harleigh Garcia, founder of Border Tails Rescue in Chicago, had the same reservations when the Chicago Wolves ice hockey team asked her to bring dogs to their games.

Four seasons later, Adopt-a-Dog Nights are one of the rescue's most successful ways of rehoming dogs, including those who have waited longest, and returns are rare. In our latest podcast episode, we spoke to Harleigh about how the nights run, what keeps them safe, and what other shelters can take from them.

On the night

Once a month, usually on a Saturday, Border Tails sets up in the arena's south lobby with a group of adoptable dogs. Volunteers introduce each dog to fans, families meet the dogs and go through adoption counselling, and the dogs go home with their adopters at the end of the game.

Harleigh sees the volunteers as the heart of the night. She works with a regular group who know the routine and get to know their dog before the event, so they can share what makes each one special. That's especially valuable for quieter dogs, who might otherwise be overlooked in a busy lobby. Volunteers also make the space welcoming. Many fans are unsure about approaching the dogs, and a smile and an invitation to come and say hello help them feel comfortable.

Choosing the dogs

A hockey arena is loud and crowded, with horns and fireworks. Most shelter dogs would not cope well there, so the dogs are chosen for the setting. Each one is known to be good with other dogs and with children, and to cope well with noise.

Selecting this way has a second benefit. Families see the dog settled in a busy environment, which gives them confidence about how it will cope at home. The event also opens up conversations about dogs who wouldn't cope with a busy setting, and some families go on to meet those dogs at the shelter.

The same adoption process

It would be easy to assume adoptions at a hockey game are rushed. They aren't: the process is the same as at the shelter. Every family completes the standard application and talks through the dog's history and any medical needs with a counsellor. They receive the same resource pack: contacts for medical and training support, a list of local trainers, and guidance on introducing the dog to other dogs, cats and children. Enough counsellors attend to give each family the full conversation.

Border Tails already offers same-day adoption at the shelter, so a dog going home that night is not an exception to its policy. Counsellors still decline adoptions where the match isn't right, although this is rare. Families who want more time can take it, as the adoption fee is held until the next day.

Returns

It's usually the first question people ask. Border Tails sees very few returns from game adoptions, even though there is no dog meet. Harleigh reports more returns from shelter adoptions that included a dog meet.

She credits three things. Selection covers most of what a dog meet would check. In her experience, adopters who decide quickly also tend to commit to working through problems. And the rescue gives every adopter ongoing support after the adoption.

Returns do still happen. They are usually early, and often because a resident dog doesn't want a second dog in the home. Border Tails treats each return as information rather than failure. A home shows things the kennel can't, and that insight helps shape the next match for the dog.

We've looked at this before in Evaluating Factors for Returning Dogs and Gathering Information from Owners. Taking time to gather good information when a dog comes back, about what went well as well as what didn't, gives the next adopter a clearer picture and gives the dog a better chance of staying in their next home.

What it achieves

Reach. The dogs are seen by people who may never visit a shelter.

Homes for longer-stay dogs. Dogs who have waited weeks or months for a home often have several families interested at a game, something Harleigh says never happens at the shelter. Recently, the rescue's longest-stay dog met someone at a game who has since taken her into foster with a view to adoption.

Exposure for dogs who stay in kennels. Border Tails brings a booklet of dogs still at the shelter. The Wolves also feature dogs on their website, social media and player calendar, and the rescue uses these spots for dogs who wouldn't suit a busy event.

A wider community. Not every visitor adopts, and that's fine. Harleigh describes it as casting a net: some people adopt, while others go on to foster, volunteer, donate or follow the rescue online. Each positive conversation also challenges the idea that adopting a rescue dog is difficult.

Applying this in your shelter

Most shelters won't have a professional sports team nearby, and most dogs won't suit a busy event. The approach still transfers.

• Local clubs and venues. Sports clubs at any level have an audience and often look for community links. A stand on a match day is a manageable first step.
• Promotion without dogs present. A dog of the week on a partner's website or social media, a printed booklet of available dogs, or a calendar can feature dogs who would not cope with a crowd.
• Smaller partnerships. Donated tickets, a mascot visit to your own event or a local business sponsor all help. Border Tails receives $100 from a local law office each time one Wolves player scores.
• Your own events. Border Tails also runs comedy nights and a drag show, which bring new people into contact with the rescue.

Keep the same standards at any event: choose dogs who will cope, use your full adoption process, brief volunteers well and follow up after adoption. Start with one event, and review how the dogs coped and how the adoptions went before committing to more.

The takeaway

Scepticism about adoption events is a healthy first reaction. Border Tails' results come from keeping its standards in a new setting, not lowering them: careful selection, the full adoption process and support after adoption. With those in place, the setting matters less than you might think. If there's an event or partner near you that you've written off as "not for us", it may be worth a second look.

 Listen to the full conversation with Harleigh on the podcast: https://spotifycreators-web.app.link/e/FVyKPfhYn7b

You can find Border Tails' adoptable dogs and event schedule at bordertailsrescue.org.