Wayne County shelter dogs join Schaeffler in celebrating 40 millionth torque converter

The Schaeffler Company marked a manufacturing milestone recently with the production of its 40 millionth torque converter. The celebration took on a unique spin, as local canine guests from the Wayne County Dog Shelter and Adoption Center helped celebrate the occasion.

According to shelter technician Kate Mick, dogs from the shelter got the opportunity to set their paws outside of their kennels and reveal their true personalities to employees.

“It is critical that our dogs get time away from the shelter,” she said. “Kennel stress is a real thing. We are over capacity, and the more dogs that we have, the more stressed they become.”

Mick said the difference between how dogs act outside shelter walls compared to inside is almost unbelievable.

“Hazel (a shelter dog) is as chill as they come,” she said. “She helps other dogs settle down in playgroups and when outside, but she literally bounces off her kennel walls.”

Getting dogs outside of the shelter and in front of people is a high priority for the dog shelter team.

“We appreciate Schaeffler asking us to be a part of their celebration and allowing their employees to interact with the dogs,” Mick said. “So far they have been very popular. People have been sharing stories of their own dogs and asking questions about the visiting dogs.”

To learn more about the Wayne County Dog Shelter and Adoption Center or to schedule a visit from shelter dogs, visit www.waynedogshelter.org. To learn more about Schaeffler Transmission Systems, visit www.schaeffler.us.

Dan Starcher is the public communications coordinator for Wayne County.