On Monday afternoons, Ian Murphy pushes in his desk chair at IBM and heads for the Longmont Humane Society to play. With dogs, that is. "I sit at a desk all day," said Murphy, "so volunteering at the shelter gets me out and about."

Murphy walks and plays fetch with his furry friends, giving them a healthy break from their kennels. Most importantly, he works to socialize the dogs, preparing them for adoption. "I walk some of the more difficult dogs," he said. "Some of them are stubborn."

At the LHS, canines undergo a number of behavior tests to determine their readiness for adoption. "They test what upsets the dogs," said Murphy. The shelter places more importance on each dog's temperament than on its breed, he said.

Socializing these dogs is of utmost importance, because it prepares them for life outside the shelter. "Every week there is a dog missing because it has been adopted," says Murphy. "I find it rewarding to see them go to good homes."

For information about volunteering with the Longmont Humane Society or other agencies, call the Volunteer Connection at 303-444-4904.