Are you looking to spend a leisurely day out by the beach? Why not bring a dog from the St. Croix Shelter with you? One of the most rewarding and heart-warming things you can do in St. Croix is participate in the “Doggy Day Out” Program. For a day, you can volunteer and take out a dog to the beach or on your adventure. 

How it Works

Firstly, make sure that you go to the right location. There are two St. Croix Animal Welfare Centers in Christiansted. One is the Community Clinic & Shelter while the other is the Pet Place. The animals for adoption are available to visit and adopt at their Pet Place location. The locations are only a couple of minutes away from each other by car, but avoiding this mix-up will save you time.

Upon arrival, you'll find some parking along the sides of the building. Inside there is a small team of volunteers and staff who will greet you. Let them know you're interested in taking a dog out for the day!

Next, you get to walk around and meet the animals. The team will give you some options for which pups are available to take out. This is dependent on which dogs need to get out more, which ones have all their shots complete, etc. After you connect with a dog, you will fill out a short one-page form, and then you're on your way!

Tips: Dogs are allowed on all beaches in St. Croix, except Protestant Cay which is a small island with a resort near downtown Christiansted. The reason is, the dogs are not allowed on the ferry to get to this beach. Also, this shelter has both dogs and cats available for adoption.

My Experience with Doggy Day Out

Volunteering for a day was one of the most heartwarming and memorable experiences I had during my time on the island. When I walked in, I locked eyes with an adorable brown puppy named “Princess” and I knew we had a connection! She had an equally sweet sister named “Snoop Duchess” and I couldn’t resist leaving her behind. So… I actually took two puppies out for the day! At the time, I was definitely worried I had overcommitted. But, thankfully these pups were incredible and surprisingly well-behaved. Though, I don’t recommend taking out two puppies unless you have reinforcements. 

They were a mixed breed which they normally call an island mutt and I’m pretty sure they were partially pitbull. Since I didn’t really have the time to go to the beach on this day, I took them with me along the Christiansted Boardwalk. We walked around and met a lot of locals/tourists who all loved meeting them. Aside from dogs needing time and experiences outside of a shelter, taking them out is also a great way to find a potential new owner for them! 

If You Fall in Love with a Dog

What happens if you fall in love with the dog you adopt for the day? Believe it or not, this happens very often! And, it’s actually the shelter’s hope that you or someone they meet out during the day decided to give them a forever home. There is a fee involved for adopting and they can help you set up everything you need to fly your pup home. For more information, just ask the staff at the Pet Place. 

Other Ways to Help

If you are looking for other ways to help, there are a few things you can do. Firstly, promoting the shelter and the animals on social media can help someone on the mainland connect with their future pup. Secondly, you can sign up for the "Travel with a Pet" program. Before your visit, sign up on their website for this program. Once the shelter is aware of your travel dates, they can then prepare to send a puppy back home with you. The pups have a better chance of finding a home on the mainland, so you can help transport them to a shelter in your hometown. Lastly, the shelter is currently seeking donations for a larger, more suitable shelter location on the island. They are hoping to raise $500,000 for this project so you can promote this fundraiser or, if you would like, donate to the cause!

If you're looking for pet-friendly rentals in St Croix; contact us today! We will help find you the perfect accommodations and activities for your next St Croix vacation!