Hamster Wheel but for Dogs???? edited w/ pic

Has anyone ever heard of anything like this before? The reason I ask, as you may already know, I am actively pursuing reforming the Town of Hempstead Animal Shelter and just found out they bought one of these instead of allowing in volunteers, to excercise the dogs.

From what I've seen of the picture of it is that it is literally a caged wheel. My concern is that our nervous, scared, homeless shelter dogs will be moved from their kennel cage to this narrow, round cage and bite kennel workers out of fear. These dogs will then be considered unadoptable and be euthanized.

Please share if you've ever had experience with anything like this before. If you'd like more info. on what you can do to help our voiceless homeless animals, please FM me. Thanks!

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Message edited 3/1/2011 11:41:29 AM.

Re: Hamster Wheel but for Dogs????

I have heard of a treadmill for dogs but they have to be watched on it. Sounds like they want a way to exercise dogs but not have to watch them? I would have the same concerns as you. Sounds like something a BYB would do...I have heard of backyard breeders putting dogs in wheels to keep them moving, etc. I am pretty sure I saw that on Oprah's puppy mill show.

I do not like the sound of that at all and agree with you.

Message edited 3/1/2011 8:13:27 AM.

Re: Hamster Wheel but for Dogs????

That's kind of scary if they are not being watched. Plus they are lacking the human socialization too. I put my dog on the treadmill sometimes but I never take my eyes off of him.

Re: Hamster Wheel but for Dogs????

That sounds terrible.

ETA: A treadmill is a lot different- it's not so enclosed, KWIM?

Message edited 3/1/2011 10:53:20 AM.

Re: Hamster Wheel but for Dogs????

That's so sad! It's bad enough they don't have loving interaction all the time, but to essentially remove human contact?
I foresee more aggressive dogs who are harder to place because of lack of interaction.
Also, hamsters get stuck in those things all the time, I had one who broke his neck, I would NEVER leave an animal unattended on something that moved like that.

Re: Hamster Wheel but for Dogs????

http://www.houndround.com/

or

http://www.gopetusa.com/

Re: Hamster Wheel but for Dogs???? edited w/ pic

how do they stop?

i hope someone supervises this exercise... i dont like it

Re: Hamster Wheel but for Dogs???? edited w/ pic

I guess the dog would just stop when he/she stops walking if it can figure that out.
To very honest, I visit that shelter at least twice a week and am not confident in the staff supervising this at all. With a kennel staff, more concerned with texting, taking photos of themselves at work and their relationships with fellow employees, I doubt this will be supervised the way that you or I would if we were in charge!
Just another reason I cringe at the thought of the Town of Hempstead Animal Shelter.

Re: Hamster Wheel but for Dogs???? edited w/ pic

Message edited 3/3/2011 11:53:46 AM.

Re: Hamster Wheel but for Dogs???? edited w/ pic

Dita - Respectfully, I have to disagree. The town is making changes but they are not doing it in the best interest of the animals. They're not making the "right" decision. They are being reactive to the activists concerns, not proactive. My concern (regarding this wheel) is just how many dogs will really be exercised on this wheel a day because right now there are over 140 dogs in the shelter. I'm told that many are being "housed" in the garage (where the public is not permitted) in crates that are three stacks high. Maybe if the rescue liason that they hired had any contacts within the Long Island rescue community, the shelter wouldn't be so crowded. The proactive solution to excercising dogs (especially when there are so many) is to allow in volunteers that will walk the dogs and give them the human interaction that our shelter dogs so desperately need. I do not think this wheel is horrendous for individual owners, but in a shelter that lacks accountability, it won't take long before this wheel disappears just like the hundred kongs purchased last year.

Re: Hamster Wheel but for Dogs???? edited w/ pic

Re: Hamster Wheel but for Dogs???? edited w/ pic

ummmmm NO!!

Re: Hamster Wheel but for Dogs???? edited w/ pic

Even though Kate Murray (Town Supervisor) released a "Pet Care Agenda" in November that spoke of a volunteer program being up and running within a few months, we have yet to understand why volunteers are not allowed in the shelter. The town board has been asked month after month at town board meetings as to why it is taking so long. The response is always, "We are not going to rush into it." If it had to do with liabilities, wouldn't they say that? I would think that would be what they would say if that were in fact the case. Many animal advocates believe it's because they have way too much to hide and with Fat Cat salaries, raises and promotions only given to those with political connections and a possible felon as the director, they do have a lot to hide and that doesn't even touch the way they care for our homeless shelter animals. The "hatred" I have for this "shelter" is only because of the animal neglect I have witnessed and continue to witness and document. With a $7 million dollar budget and over a hundred volunteers willing and ready to interact with these animals, we can do much better for them.

Re: Hamster Wheel but for Dogs???? edited w/ pic

Re: Hamster Wheel but for Dogs???? edited w/ pic

i've never seen or heard of this for dogs and i dont really like the idea of it. i would hope that they would keep an eye on the dogs if they were to allow them to be in there.....

much better off having volunteers walk them IMO.