Meet Clifford the American Pit Bull Terrier Mix 🐾

For some visitors, meeting Clifford outside the kennel environment completely changes the experience. Watching him relax, explore the interaction yard, or respond to attention during one on one interaction can make it much easier to picture him settling into a home environment.

At Chicago Animal Care and Control, volunteers can explain adoption procedures, fostering options, and what recovery expectations may involve if surgery still needs to be completed before he goes home. Some visitors arrive planning to foster while others begin considering adoption after the interaction.

Depending on weather conditions and shelter activity, visits may happen outdoors or inside quieter meet and greet rooms. Some dogs seem more playful during the interaction while others simply appear calmer once they leave the kennel area.

Spending time together during the meet and greet often helps visitors better understand how the dog behaves outside the shelter environment. Some adopters immediately begin imagining what life together at home could potentially look like.