Doggy Data tracks field trips, adoptions, and outcomes for shelter dogs — because what gets measured gets better.
Shelter dogs spend their days in kennels, waiting. Field trip programs give them a break from the stress — a walk, a hike, a car ride, a chance to just be a dog for a few hours.
But without tracking, these programs are invisible. How many dogs got out this month? Who's never had a single trip? Which dogs came back after adoption?
Doggy Data is a volunteer-driven effort to make shelter dog outcomes transparent — one spreadsheet at a time. Currently tracking field trips at Louisville Metro Animal Services (LMAS).
All data comes from publicly available sources. Nothing private, nothing internal.
Volunteers record field trips in the shelter's paper log — dog name, date, and where they went.
The shelter's public adoptable dogs page is checked regularly for current status and new intakes.
Weekly adoption lists from the shelter confirm which dogs have been adopted or fostered.
All sources are compared to confirm status: at shelter, adopted, fostered, or returned.
Transparency note: If a dog disappears from the adoptable page but doesn't appear on an adoption list, their status is marked as Unknown rather than guessed. Return dogs are only identified when a previously adopted dog reappears on the adoptable page with a new intake date. No private records, internal systems, or staff-only data are used.
Live data from the shelter's field trip program — who's getting out, who's been overlooked, and who's found their forever home.
What the numbers tell us.
Dogs currently available
Dogs in foster homes
Dogs found forever homes
Dogs returned after adoption
Louisville Metro Animal Services is the open-admission shelter for Louisville/Jefferson County, KY. They take in every animal that comes their way — regardless of space, age, breed, or medical need.
Field trip programs give long-stay dogs a mental health break and help potential adopters see them outside the kennel environment. Even one trip can make a difference in a shelter dog's quality of life — and their chances of adoption.
Want to take a shelter dog on a field trip? Interested in volunteering? Have questions about the data?
Field trips are organized through PETS4LIFE and LMAS volunteer services. Reach out to them directly to get started!
Questions about this tracker? Email [email protected]