16 May Service Trip 2026 – Day 2: Monticello & Pine Bluff
Our second shelter day started with a small, but mighty, group of volunteers traveling an hour and a half south of Little Rock to visit Monticello 2nd Chance FUR Dogs. Unlike many rescue partners, Monticello operates as a 100% foster-based rescue with no physical shelter building. Instead, more than 100 dogs are cared for in loving foster homes while they wait for their chance to travel north and find forever families.
Because there isn’t a shelter facility to renovate or kennels to clean, our volunteers spent the day giving these deserving pups something just as important:
a full spa day. Dogs rotated through baths, grooming, paw-dicures, and plenty of cuddles and affection. For many of these dogs, it may have been the first time they experienced calm, individualized care focused entirely on making them feel safe, comfortable, and loved.
The day was filled with wagging tails, soapy paws, and happy zoomies as volunteers worked side-by-side with fosters and local high school students to pamper pups of all shapes and sizes. Beyond helping the dogs look their best before transport, the day also gave fosters a much-needed boost of support and appreciation for the incredible work they do every single day.
The volunteers at Monticello are living proof that rescue doesn’t require four walls or a building. It requires compassion, commitment, and community. We were honored to spend the day supporting a rescue that proves home-based foster care can change lives, one dog at a time.
The majority of volunteers headed over to Pine Bluff. The Pine Bluff Animal Shelter is one of the largest shelters we visit during our service trip, and every year our volunteers arrive ready to tackle whatever is needed most. With a constant flow of incoming dogs and limited resources, the work at Pine Bluff is never-ending, but this year’s projects are already making a meaningful impact for both the dogs and the staff who care for them every day.
Volunteers spent the day rolling up their sleeves and diving into a wide range of projects across the shelter grounds. Outside, teams worked on
landscaping the Rainbow Bridge memorial area and refreshing flower beds to create a more peaceful and welcoming space. Two new benches were also assembled, giving staff, visitors, and volunteers places to sit, reflect, and spend time with the dogs.
Inside the shelter, medical and behavioral teams focused on behavioral evaluations and heartworm testing, critical tools that help determine each dog’s needs and prepare them for transport and adoption opportunities. With heartworm disease remaining incredibly common in Arkansas, early testing and intervention can truly save lives and improve long-term outcomes for these dogs.
Other volunteers worked to service AC units ahead of the intense summer heat, helping ensure safer and more comfortable conditions throughout the shelter. Meanwhile, countless hours were spent cleaning kennels, bathing dogs, and providing daily care and enrichment to the animals waiting for homes.
We hosted our second spay/neuter clinic of the trip, spaying seven females and neutering six males. A single unspayed female dog and her offspring can theoretically produce up to 67,000 puppies in just six years, so these spay/neuter clinics go a long way in helping prevent overpopulation of the surrounding shelters.
We are officially halfway through our shelter days, and while our volunteers are definitely feeling the long hours, sore muscles, and Arkansas heat, we are also more motivated than ever for the work still ahead. Every kennel cleaned, dog house built, and project completed reminds us why these trips matter so much, not just for the dogs, but for the shelter staff and rescue partners who pour their hearts into this work every single day.
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