Shelter/Middle School Partnerships for Humane Education

Contributed by:
Animal Refuge Center, Inc.
P.O. Box 6642
Fort Myers, FL 33911
http://www.animalrefuge.com

The Animal Refuge Center (ARC) has developed a program that helps educate middle school children about the necessity of spay/neuter programs. To accomplish this, ARC works in close cooperation with both the schools and a local low-cost spay/neuter clinic.

What You'll Do

Their teachers select children who exhibit an interest in both biology and animal welfare for the program. The shelter then presents two 2-hour seminars on the importance of spay/neuter and other aspects of responsible pet ownership to the selected students. After the students have attended the seminars, they are taken to a local spay/neuter clinic and are allowed to watch surgeries being performed.

Once back in their schools, the children write instructional tools and make presentations to other students on what they have learned. This helps to not only reinforce what the student has learned, but also exposes other middle school students to a peer's point of view on the importance of spaying and neutering pets.

Cost

Local businesses and foundations sponsor the program, with much of the money going into the spay/neuter fund. The fact that the monies are used for both education as well as to provide spay/neuter surgeries has proven to increase the level of giving from these local sponsors.

Idea Number 22 from 101 Great Shelter Ideas compiled by the ASPCA and American Humane Association, ©2000