People, Planet, Profit…Pups? In case you missed it on Green Lodging News, McKibbon Hotel Group, located in Tampa, Fla., has come up with one of the coolest community service projects I have heard about. McKibbon, which owns and manages the Aloft Asheville Downtown in Asheville, N.C., paired up with a local animal shelter last August, Charlie’s Angels Animal Rescue (CAAR), in an effort to increase the dog adoption numbers in the community. When guests arrive at the Aloft hotel, they are met by a dog (located behind the registration desk) in an “Adopt Me” vest. Guests can interact with the dog during check-in as well as at the hotel lounge and additional designated areas. And, if they so choose, can move forward in a process of adopting the dog. Since last August, more than 20 dogs have found permanent and loving homes. “We hope to save over 100 dogs in 2015 with our partnership with the McKibbon Hotel Group,” said Kim Smith, President of CAAR.
I spoke with Jean Smith, V.P. of Lifestyle Hotels, McKibbon Hotel Group, about the program and she told me guest response has been “incredible” and the program is now a permanent fixture at the Aloft Asheville Downtown. Dog adoption programs are in the process of being started at other hotels McKibbon operates.
“To my knowledge, it is the only hotel in the world that is doing it,” Smith says. “The dogs last from a couple of hours to 10 days before they are adopted. It is great for Charlie’s Angels.”
Only Small Dogs Featured
Will you find dogs as large as a St. Bernard behind the front desk? That is not going to happen. Smith says small dogs are easiest to manage. The dog is located in a dog playpen. The front desk team and management take care of the dog during the day. The dog beds down at night in the back office. A sign in the front desk area prominently states, “Approach me with caution.”
Smith says dogs are treated as if they are living in a home and it is that home-like atmosphere that helps guests envision themselves taking the dog home.
At the Aloft Asheville Downtown, dogs are carefully screened and are given a behavioral assessment. Prospective adopters are screened as well. Reference checks are performed and there are home inspections.
There are many reasons dogs are put up for adoption. Sometimes it is as simple as an owner having an allergy or perhaps the landlord does not allow a pet. Sometimes there are too many animals in the household or the cost of maintaining the pet is too much for the owner.
No offense to cat lovers but Smith told me McKibbon is going to pass on helping to find homes for cats. “Probably not cats,” she told me. “A dog is a lot easier to control than a cat.”
In July, as part of its Live At Aloft series, a fundraiser will be held at the Aloft Asheville Downtown. It will benefit the Asheville Humane Society.
“We try to find a way to help all the community and be part of the community,” Smith says.
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