Sunday Story: Take a Walk
Gidget, a 3-year-old pit bull, found her forever home after a sponsored walk with Tuckered Out Dog Walking helped her socialize and shine, leading to her adoption by the Helms family.
In late 2025, Angie Helms and her family visited Richmond Animal Care & Control (RACC) to participate in the shelter’s Thanksgiving foster program. They met a 3-year-old brindle pit bull named Take the High Road, who had been at RACC for about five months. Despite her stressed demeanor at the shelter, the Helms family quickly fell in love with her energetic and affectionate nature, leading to an adoption they named Gidget.
Gidget’s transformation was aided by the sponsored outings program run by Tuckered Out Dog Walking, which provides shelter dogs with walks around the city to help them socialize and reduce stress. Founded by Austin Tuck in 2021, Tuckered Out Dog Walking offers flexible, same-day dog care and enrichment activities. The program emphasizes the dogs’ comfort and consent, using the Fear Free framework.
The sponsored walks began after a Tuckered Out client, grieving the loss of her dog, chose to donate her prepaid walks to the shelter instead of receiving a refund. This initiative has taken 268 unique dogs from RACC on 355 outings, with over 100 sponsors as of July 2026. The adoption rate within 90 days of a sponsored walk is 98%.
Gidget, now thriving in her new home, was featured at RACC’s annual Muttminster/Meowminster Dog & Cat Show, where she received much love and attention. For those interested in sponsoring a shelter dog, visit tuckeredoutrva.com/services/shelter-dog-sponsorships.
Originally reported by richmondmagazine.com. Read the source story (opens in a new tab).
