A program that offers people a chance to make a new dog friend, taking adoptable pups on drives, walks and even home before returning them at the end of the day, has come to neighborhoods countywide, San Diego Humane Society officials said.

The “Dog Day Out” program, which began in April at the Morena campus in San Diego, allows volunteers to come into the organization’s facilities and take dogs out for a few hours, providing the dog with a much-needed break from the shelter.

Now, the program has expanded to campuses in El Cajon, Escondido and Oceanside.

Organization spokesperson Nina Thompson reported that 163 outings occurred at the San Diego Campus since the program’s inception, and the benefits for the animals and staff have been numerous.

Thompson said that for more than two years, the shelter has been over capacity with dogs and it is stressful for the animals to stay in the shelter for an extended period of time.

“Letting them go on a ‘Dog Day Out’ gives them a little bit of normalcy, which is so important for their overall well-being,” Thompson said. “It gets them out of their kennel and the shelter environment, and lets them experience new smells, have fun, exercise and lower their stress level.”

Volunteers with the Dog Day Out program at the San Diego Humane Society prepare to take a dog out into the community. (San Diego Humane Society)

The day out and the follow-up report from the volunteer help the shelter learn information about the dogs — such as how the animal behaves in a car, at the beach, or with other dogs — that can be passed on eventually to potential adopters.

The outings also serve — in more ways than one — to get the animals in front of members of the community who might be in the market for a new pet, Thompson said. Not only does the dog meet community members outside a shelter setting, but the program also invites volunteers to take photos of videos of the dogs on the outings that can be used on the animal’s adoption profile and on the organization’s social media.

A dog that is up for adoption at the San Diego Humane Society on Aug. 8. (Ana Ramirez / U-T file)

The dogs participating in the program have been pre-selected by staff, but the volunteer gets a chance to let the experts at the shelter know what type of dog they prefer and what their experience level is with dogs, Thompson said.

Appointments are available on Wednesdays and Thursdays, with pickup at 11 a.m. Returns must be done by 4 p.m.

Volunteers are asked to keep the dog within San Diego County, on a leash throughout the outing and handled by someone 18 or older, officials said. If it is raining or over 85 degrees, outings for outdoor activities must be rescheduled.

Anyone interested in volunteering can visit sdhumane.org/dogdayout.