Dogs Playing for Life (DPFL), a national animal welfare nonprofit, is proud to announce its 450th "Every Dog, Every Day!" Playgroup Shelter Seminar. This milestone event will be hosted at the Sevier County Animal Shelter from October 18th through October 21st, 2026.
SEVIERVILLE, Tenn., Oct. 15, 2026 /PRNewswire-PRWeb/ -- Dogs Playing for Life (DPFL), a national animal welfare nonprofit, is proud to announce its 450th "Every Dog, Every Day!" Playgroup Shelter Seminar. This milestone event will be hosted at the Sevier County Animal Shelter from October 18th through October 21st, 2026. The intensive, hands-on seminar will train Sevier County Animal Shelter staff and volunteers to safely implement and manage daily playgroups for their canine residents. By getting dogs out of their kennels and allowing them to socialize naturally, playgroups have been proven to reduce kennel stress, improve canine mental health, and allow dogs to show their true personalities—ultimately leading to shorter shelter stays and higher adoption rates. Recognizing the widespread impact of this programming, Sevier County Animal Shelter is opening its doors during the seminar to neighboring animal shelters and rescue organizations. Representatives from surrounding communities will attend to observe the playgroups in action, taking valuable handling skills and enrichment strategies back to their own facilities. "Reaching our 450th shelter is an incredible milestone for our organization, and we are thrilled to celebrate it alongside the dedicated team at Sevier County Animal Shelter," said Aimee Sadler, Founder and COO of Dogs Playing for Life. "When we let dogs be dogs through daily play, the transformation is immediate. We see kennel stress drop, staff morale rise, and most importantly, an urgent decrease in canine length of stay, which translates to fewer dogs deteriorating in shelters." "We are so excited to host the Dogs Playing for Life seminar! Our staff , volunteers and neighboring shelter partners are eager to learn everything we can about playgroups and dog behavior so that we can improve our shelter dogs' quality of life while they await their forever homes." added Ashley Thomas, Director at Sevier County Animal Shelter. Since its founding, Dogs Playing for Life has introduced its industry-leading programming to hundreds of organizations nationwide, effectively changing the sheltering landscape. This is our 450th individual shelter seminar, which highlights the continued, growing movement toward prioritizing out-of-kennel enrichment and quality of life for all sheltered dogs. Members of the media are invited to attend the seminar to capture photos and video of the playgroups and interview representatives from Dogs Playing for Life and Sevier County Animal Shelter. For more information about Dogs Playing for Life, visit www.dogsplayingforlife.com . To learn more about adoptable pets at Sevier County Animal Shelter, visit www.sevieranimalcarecenter.com ### www.dogsplayingforlife.org
About Dogs Playing for Life:
Dogs Playing for Life™ is a 501(c)(3) nonprofit with a mission to enhance the quality of life of shelter dogs to increase lifesaving. Through their signature "Every Dog, Every Day!" enrichment seminars and advanced training programs, DPFL teaches animal shelters how to implement daily playgroups and individualized training. Their programming has been introduced to 450 shelters nationwide, resulting in better welfare, safer handling, and maximum lifesaving for dogs in shelters.
About Sevier County Animal Shelter:
Sevier County Animal Shelter is a non-profit government run animal shelter located in Sevierville, Tennessee that serves the animal control needs of Sevier County, Sevierville, Pittman Center, Pigeon Forge, and Gatlinburg. Our community's support is our most important asset, and everyone is welcome to come visit.
Media Contact
Joe Long, Dogs Playing for Life, 1 3035874756, [email protected], Dogs Playing for Life; Ashley Thomas, Shelter Director, [email protected], www.dogsplayingforlife.org
SOURCE Dogs Playing for Life
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