en فعالیت فیزیکی و سلامت Physical Activity & Health Original Article <span style="font-family:Times New Roman;"><span style="font-size:12pt"><span style="line-height:115%"><b><span style="font-size:10.0pt"><span style="line-height:115%">Background</span></span></b><span style="font-size:10.0pt"><span style="line-height:115%">: The purpose of this work is to examine physical activity levels of volunteers who walk shelter dogs at an open-admission animal shelter in the southern United States.&nbsp; In doing so, shelter dog walking is presented as an activity of relational community engagement that can enhance well-being at all levels. &nbsp;</span></span></span></span><br> <span style="font-size:12pt"><span style="line-height:115%"><b><span style="font-size:10.0pt"><span style="line-height:115%">Methods</span></span></b><span style="font-size:10.0pt"><span style="line-height:115%">: For this quasi-experimental study, a purposive sample of volunteer dog walkers in rural North Carolina was asked to record daily activity for a twelve-week period, with a total of 336 days submitted. Descriptive statistics and a paired-samples t-test were analyze the data.</span></span></span></span><br> <span style="font-size:12pt"><span style="line-height:115%"><b><span style="font-size:10.0pt"><span style="line-height:115%">Results:</span></span></b><span style="font-size:10.0pt"><span style="line-height:115%">&nbsp; Data from a total of 336 days was collected.&nbsp; Paired-samples t-test was performed to compare outcomes assessed on days shelter dogs were not walked and days they were walked by volunteers.&nbsp; Significant differences were demonstrated for the steps taken (t(154) = 9.5, p < .001), the distance walked (<i>t</i>(154) = 9.0, <i>p</i> < .001), and the calories expended (t(154) = 5.2, p < .001).&nbsp; </span></span></span></span><br> <span style="font-size:12pt"><span style="line-height:115%"><b><span style="font-size:10.0pt"><span style="line-height:115%">Conclusion</span></span></b><span style="font-size:10.0pt"><span style="line-height:115%">:&nbsp; The implications of these findings are multi-level and suggest walking shelter dogs can be a beneficial activity for all parties involved.&nbsp;&nbsp;At the micro-level, volunteers walked further, burned more calories, and accumulated more steps on days they walked shelter dogs.&nbsp; In turn, shelter staff and the local community benefited at the meso- and macro-levels, respectively.</span></span></span></span></span> Exercise, Community engagement, Volunteers, Dogs, Walking, Health 1625 1633 http://sbrh.ssu.ac.ir/browse.php?a_code=A-10-541-1&slc_lang=en&sid=1 Melanie Sartore-Baldwin sartorem@ecu.edu 0000-0002-2981-6703 Yes Department of Recreation Sciences, College of Health and Human Performance East Carolina University Greenville, NC 27858, United States Bhibha Das dasb@ecu.edu 0000-0002-5221-548X No Department of Recreation Sciences, College of Health and Human Performance East Carolina University Greenville, NC 27858, United States