News & Noteworthy 

April 25, 2026 – PHILADELPHIA, PA As a result of a generous grant by VCA Charities, ACCT Philly is excited to announce the launch of its new Philly Pupventures program and the completion of the Pups at Play Yard in which the shelter can host playgroups for its shelter dogs to enjoy and benefit from.

VCA Charities’ Dog Day Out initiative has trained more 75 animal shelters including the highest intake animal shelters in the country to incorporate a program at their shelter since 2023. ACCT Philly is among the select group of shelters that received this in person training over the past year, enabling staff to develop and scale programs like Philly Pupventures. Through the program, adoptable shelter dogs are taken on short field trips by volunteer community members. It provides the dogs with much needed time away from their kennel to de-stress mentally and physically, and it also helps get them in front of more potential adopters. 

• Dogs in shelters spend on average 23 hours a day in kennels, and pupventures provide both mental and physical benefits.
• Studies have shown short term outings and temporary foster homes make it 5-14 times more likely that a dog will be adopted. 

“With an average of 22 dogs entering our shelter daily and more than 8,000 a year, we need them to have as much time as possible outside,” said Sarah Barnett, Executive Director of ACCT Philly. “We are so grateful to VCA Charities for their generous support that is helping make that a reality.”

ACCT Philly has new and improved play yards, which now serve as central spaces for dog playgroups and individual playtime. These playgroups allow dogs to engage safely with one another, build social skills, and participate in regular, supervised activity, which are key components of maintaining behavior health in the shelter setting. 

“We are thrilled to support ACCT Philly and its launch of a life-saving shelter dog field trip program,” said Kim Van Syoc, Executive Director of VCA Charities. “Ensuring shelter dogs have robust enrichment options and receive time out of kennels is critical to reducing mental decline and increasing positive outcomes. We are also incredibly proud to support ACCT Philly as they expand their playgroup program so even more dogs are spending more time outside every day.”

The program will be launched to the public on April 25th

About ACCT Philly: 

ACCT Philly is the largest animal care and control service provider in the region, caring for nearly 20,000 animals annually. It is the only open intake animal shelter in Philadelphia, serving the City by contract. ACCT Philly manages the city’s animal shelter facility in North Philadelphia handling over 20,000 animals, from dogs and cats, to small animals, reptiles, birds and wildlife, annually. The organization is dedicated to saving the lives of Philadelphia’s homeless and abandoned animals and relies on the support of the community to fulfill its mission.

About VCA Charities: 

VCA Charities, a 501c(3), is committed to supporting the joy of pet ownership by helping pets find and remain in loving homes. Through grants and partnerships with shelters and animal welfare organizations, we help remove barriers to pet ownership and help keep pets in loving homes by funding emergency and specialty veterinary care; supporting adoption readiness and surrender prevention programs; enabling the care and feeding of pets belonging to underserved families; and, responding to our local communities in crisis. VCA Charities is the charitable arm of VCA Animal Hospitals, a leader in veterinary care committed to caring for the future of veterinary medicine while positively impacting pets, people, and communities. To learn more about VCA Charities, visit VCACharities.org or find us on Instagram and LinkedIn.