The line of people outside Detroit Animal Care and Control cheered and gasped in delight Sunday morning each time the shelter doors swung open and shut, welcoming four anxious paws at a time.

Dozens of dogs left the shelter throughout the morning, accompanied by two-legged companions ready to show them a day in the sun as part of the shelter's Dogventures program.

Sunday's Dogventures, sponsored by Friends of Detroit Animal Care and Control, was the third Detroit event of its kind, and had dozens of attendees waiting at the shelter door when it opened at 9 a.m. From then until 3 p.m., dogs and their assigned humans were free to hit the town and spend a day socializing outside a shelter kennel.

“You feel for them, being in a shelter all the time, albeit a great shelter,” said Cindy Lustig, a dog trainer who planned to spend some time on Belle Isle with her assigned canine, Venetian.

Lustig and fellow trainers brought bright dog-sized bandannas reading "Adopt Me" to help advertise the dogs that left behind them. With three rescue dogs at home already, Lustig wasn't looking to adopt, but was ready to show others how fulfilling the choice could be.

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"There are thousands of dogs out there that need homes," Lustig said. "I’ve done rescue for 12 years now, and I’ve seen the worst and I’ve seen how it can be changed into a wonderful situation."

"Adopt me" bandannas traveled to Belle Isle, the River Walk, and breweries and businesses throughout the city on the necks of pit bulls, Schnauzers and lab mixes with names like Chimichanga, Casserole or Poutine. According to the Friends of Detroit Animal Care and Control Facebook page, all but three of the shelter’s eligible dogs got to leave the shelter.

While some attendees were looking for a new family member, most just wanted to get a dog out of the shelter for an afternoon. Kathleen Senter, a self-described cat lover, attended her second Dogventure Sunday because of the loving energy she feels from dogs like Lo Mein, the pit bull mix she picked up.

Becca Miner couldn't adopt a second dog, but said spending the day with shelter dog Tai – whom she treated to a soft pretzel and a walk – was the next-best thing.

"He's like a little love bug, he's just licking and he'll crawl in your lap ... there's something about adopted dogs, they're so grateful," Miner said.

The day was also a chance for apartment dwellers or students — who might not have time or space to adopt – to get their canine fill.

“My place doesn’t allow dogs, so this is a way for me to get my fix and still feel good about it,” said Zakiyah Minifee, who attended the event hoping to take a dog to the park. “I look for new apartments all the time because I’m like, ‘Maybe if I move, I can get a dog.’”

While Nancy Goodchild left animal control without a dog, the two-time rescue owner still has space in her heart for another after seeing what rescue dogs have brought to her life. Her current dog, a Papillon she rescued seven years ago, has proven to be a faithful companion after Goodchild's recent stroke.

“(Shelter dogs) deserve a second chance – it’s not their fault they’re here," Goodchild said. "To go and pay for a dog that’s bred – no, those are for a different breed of people. To me this is more about love, the heart, the connection, giving them a second chance.”

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