Animal Enrichment for Life

Animal enrichment is a process for improving the environment and behavioural care of animals within the context of their individual needs. By offering opportunities that create pleasant internal responses, the animals’ tendency towards making their own positive choices is strengthened.  

Providing enrichment is foundational and supplementary to all behaviour work done with animals at the Cochrane & Area Humane Society (CAHS). It is as essential as nutritional, physical and medical care.  

CAHS’s Enrichment Program, which is sponsored by Cochrane Pet Valu and Airdrie Pet Valus Coopers Crossing and Main Street, where each enrichment donation made is matched by the store up to $500, not only enriches animals’ stays, but it also sets them up for long-term health and happiness. CAHS staff and volunteers track what works best for each animal to meet his or her needs. This information is shared with the new family as going to a new home will involve another environmental adjustment.  

You can provide your own animals at home with opportunities for enrichment. If your pets are reacting, appear stressed or show signs of anxiety, immediately seek to discover what it is they need.  Is it more exercise, more quiet time, opportunities to sniff, chew or play?   Perhaps they need more or less social time with other animals or some quality human time. 

The enrichment must meet the individual needs of each individual animal. This can involve everything from daily dog walking to play-time with other animals, or a good old game of hide and seek with family.   Animals also benefit from soothing music, meditating with their people and relaxing reading time. Allow dogs to be themselves and to practise natural behaviours such as chewing or sniffing. Taking in the sounds and sights of the great outdoors can be as beneficial to animals as it is to humans.   

Often, for animals, it is during time when they are left alone that they need something to do that produces an intrinsic comfort to establish a space of calmness, no matter what is going on around them.  Examples of this are Kongs filled with peanut butter or pumpkin, frozen treats, snuffle mats or cereal boxes full of goodies where dogs have to work to get into using their instinctual tactile skills. Cats love to hide and there are many creative ways to offer this. They also enjoy bird watching out the window and challenging themselves on a hike up a scratch post.  

It is difficult for any being to make good choices when there is a lack of comfort or feeling of safety in his or her environment. Offering animals enrichment pose just that: a sense of comfort and safety through intrinsic mental and physical stimulation creating the feeling that they have more control over their environment because they are able to voluntarily interact. The results are reduced stress and an improved overall well-being. 

To learn more about CAHS’s Enrichment Program or to find the perfect agility class for you and your furry friend to share some quality time, please visit www.cochranehumane.ca.

To view CAHS’s wish-list of enrichment items please see our wish list.  

By Janaia Hutzal