Alex Eyers has always described herself as a dog person, and while she may not be able to own one in her current home, she still gets to take care of them.
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Every Tuesday, the Curtin resident takes part in a volunteer program at the Domestic Animal Services compound in Symonston, helping to walk dogs that are temporarily without a home.
"It's a lovely way of getting my dog fix while not being able to own a dog of my own," Ms Eyers said.
"When the dogs are put up in a kennel most of the time, they need to let off a a lot of energy."
The program, which has been running for several years, involves volunteers helping to exercise and socialise lost dogs that have been sent to the Domestic Animal Services compound to await their owner or to be re-homed.
In the past 12 months, the volunteer program has enjoyed large growth, expanding from about 30 people to more than 200.
Ms Eyers has been taking part in the program for the past 18 months and said the regular exercise helped make it easier for the dogs when they were eventually taken home.
"I imagine that some of the dogs would go a bit stir crazy in the kennels here, and it helps them be able to adjust," she said.
"We very rarely walk the same dog twice because they're often re-homed by the time we come back next."
While the program first started out with just dog walking, the growth of volunteer numbers has come following an expansion of the activities members can undertake with the dogs.
Transport Canberra and City Services senior manager Sean Sloan, who helps to oversee the program, said as well as exercise, socialisation of the dogs is a large factor.
"There have been lots of motivating ways to work with animals and we encourage that. We've expanded so there are other ways to help out," he said.
"We're now using volunteers to help motivate the dogs in the centre like helping to give them food-based toys - where thee dogs have to work to get the food out - so they get that stimulation.
"We even encourage people to just sit with the dogs and give them pats and give them time to socialise."
Kathryn Fioncchiroa is one of the many volunteers as part of the program, first taking part two years ago.
She said there are both physical and mental benefits for the volunteers and the dogs as well.
"Within a couple of minutes their ears are up and their tails are wagging. After just a few minutes they're less stressed and they have a better chance at being re-homed," she said.
"This is a good way to get our dog fix, and it gets me out and get some exercise."
For information to how to become a volunteer, email tccs.animalmanagement@act.gov.au
