By RACHEL WACHMAN
Insider staff
To encourage the adoption of animals in their shelter and foster connections between humans and their four-legged counterparts, Pope Memorial SPCA holds yoga classes twice a month where participants can practice poses alongside shelter pets.
The Concord-based animal shelter hopes the program, started last year, will provide a new way for people and animals to interact beyond typical shelter visits.
“Spending time with animals offers stress reduction and relaxation, and creates an overall sense of happiness,” said director Jennifer Raimer. “This gentle interaction reduces cortisol levels in humans, boosts oxytocin – the feel-good hormone – and allows the animals to enjoy calm and friendly cuddle time with humans who we hope may provide them with a forever home.”
The program’s most frequent participants include kittens, bunnies, and puppies, all of them cuddly and looking for love.
“Being in a shelter, sometimes animals don’t have experience with a lot of humans,” said Celeste Stanley, administrative coordinator. “Being able to be in a calm environment where they get to be around people, it gives them the comfortability to be able to go over and say ‘hi’ on their own and that really helps them get adopted. Depending on the animal, that can sometimes help someone open up and that can help someone be more friendly and social as well.”
The classes, open to adults of all yoga levels, are taught by Carol Ellis, a local certified yoga instructor. The shelter aims to offer yoga twice a month, depending on the number of animals able to join.
“After a long, stressful day at work, there is truly no better therapy than to enjoy the company of like-minded humans and some adorable four-legged furry friends,” Raimer said.
The March classes will take place on Monday, March 10 at 5:30 p.m. and Monday, March 24 at 5:30 p.m. Yoga sessions are held at the Banks Humane Education Center at 95 Silk Farm Road, across from the shelter. Participants must be 18 or older, register with a $25 non-refundable fee, and bring their own yoga mats and any blocks, straps, or bolsters they want to use.
For more information, visit pmspca.org/yoga-with-pets.
– Rachel Wachman can be reached at rwachman@cmonitor.com
