The Gasperich animal shelter has felt it necessary to have a frank conversation with its volunteers about the rules surrounding dog walking, after a pattern of breaches emerged over the autumn and winter months.
“We noticed regular violations of the rules during this period”, explains Loïc Feltgen, a dog trainer and member of staff at the shelter. The most persistent issue concerns children and leads. Despite a clear rule to the contrary, children are still being allowed to hold the leads of shelter dogs during walks. “This is extremely dangerous”, Feltgen warns. “Children often cannot assess situations correctly. They do not fully comprehend how strong a dog can be.”
Before anyone is permitted to take a dog out for a walk, they must sign and agree to a set of rules, which were updated in October 2025. The key requirements are straightforward: volunteers must be over 18, children are not permitted to take the lead under any circumstances, even in the presence of their parents, and walkers must maintain a safe distance from other dogs encountered in the park. Dogs must also be kept on the lead at all times and in whatever configuration they leave the shelter, whether that is a harness, collar or muzzle.
Before matching a volunteer with a dog, shelter staff always take time to assess the person’s experience with animals, consider which dog would be a good fit for them, and establish how much time they are able to commit to walking.
The Gasperich animal shelter has been finding new homes for cats and dogs since 1964. Around 70 dogs are currently in its care, ranging from a seven-month-old puppy to a 15-year-old veteran.
The workers at the animal shelter were keen to close on a positive note, expressing genuine gratitude for the volunteers who give their time to walk the dogs. Feltgen was equally clear, however, about the shelter’s primary purpose. “We are here first and foremost to care for our animals”, he said. “We are not here to provide people with an afternoon’s entertainment.”
