08/31/2026
What Is Open Paw — And Why Does It Run Everything We Do?
If you’ve ever wondered why we do things a certain way here — why we hand-feed instead of using bowls, why every kennel run has a stuffed KONG in it, why cats get cardboard scratchers instead of just a litter box and a nap spot — the answer is almost always the same: Open Paw.
Open Paw is the training and behavior model that Halifax Humane Society is built on. Dr. Ian Dunbar and Kelly Gorman founded it in 2000 with one goal: to stop the cycle of animals being surrendered and then surrendered again after adoption by teaching them real manners and real coping skills while they’re still in our care.
The idea is simple but powerful. A dog or cat who spends weeks in a kennel with nothing to do doesn’t just sit there neutral — they get worse. They get louder, more anxious, more reactive to strangers, less housetrained. Open Paw flips that. Every single interaction we have with an animal — feeding, cleaning, walking, playing — is a chance to teach that animal to be calm, confident, and adoptable instead.
Open Paw is more than a training program. It is part of how we help prepare animals for life beyond the shelter, giving them the skills, confidence, and positive experiences that can support long-term adoption success.
Want to learn more about how Open Paw shapes the care we provide every day? Visit https://www.halifaxhumanesociety.org/open-paw/ to explore the program, or join us as a volunteer and become part of the hands-on work that helps reinforce these skills for the animals in our care.
