Date with the Dogs logo_2

We love to have visitors at our Shelter for our bookings on Saturdays and Sundays!

Book a ‘Date with the Dogs’ and learn about the vital work we do in Connemara while giving a rescue dog some quality time away from their kennel.

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Walk one of our dogs

Enjoy the fresh Connemara air and beautiful scenery while walking a dog around our walkway.

Our dogs relish every opportunity that comes their way for another walk and a good sniff!

Megan enjoying the walkway 1
Enjoying the walkway

Play in the 'real-life' room

damien
Cleo and Spot
Making Snuffle Mats
Spend some time in our ‘real-life’ room with one of our current residents. Built in 2021, the ‘real-life’ room aims to simulate a home environment and is used by our team to help prepare under-socialised dogs for life in a normal home. Many of our dogs come to us from a life spent outside or in a shed or even on a chain and they need lots of help and support to adjust to the kind of life we strive to find for them; a life where they will always have shelter, human interaction and love. Learn about enrichment activities, how to communicate with dogs and maybe even name the next dog that joins us at MADRA.

Hang out in the sensory garden

Myrna the Springer welcoming Esme one of our visitors e1657576524682

Hang out in our sensory garden with one of the dogs.  It’s wonderful to watch them race around sniffing out all the lovely smells and it’s the perfect spot for dogs who like a game of ‘fetch’.

We are very grateful to Allergan who provided the funding for the sensory garden which opened in mid 2022 and has already become an essential part of our care package for dogs while they’re in residence with us.

Spot with some visitors e1657576467935

Visit availability

‘Dates’ are currently available on Saturdays only for September and October onwards. 

Please note that visits to our Shelter do not include a tour of the kennel block as this can be very stressful for many of our dogs. 

We have a dedicated indoor area for the visit along with our beautiful walkway.

Visits will be available on Saturdays only, through October 2023. We have no availability for Sundays. Please see the booking form.
MADRAs Real Life Room 1

Visits to meet dogs with a view to adopt are not included. These visits are booked solely through the rehoming coordinator after you have sent in your adoption registration.

How to help

An entry fee of €10 per adult and €5 per child for your ‘Date with the Dogs’ will help us to look after you on the day as well as continue our vital work rescuing and rehoming dogs.

Poly

Polly and her fellow residents love it when visitors bring out cans of tasty, good quality dog food, tins of sardines and mackerel and jars of hot dogs.

Our shelter is located in:

Cinn Mhara, Camus, Connemara, Co Galway, H91 AK38

About a 45-50 minute drive from Galway city

Blue Tag Volunteering

If you’re interested in volunteering at our Shelter on a regular basis, you can apply here to become one of our Blue Tag Volunteers. We are fully subscribed at the moment but we can add you to our waiting list and will be in touch when there are places available.

Owen and a very mucky
Helping out
Volunteers
Aoife 1

Corporate Volunteering

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Cisco volunteer
Cisco volunteers
Cisco
If you and your work colleagues would like to do some team-building while  helping us with projects at the kennels, please email info@madra.ie