Animal Humane Society Camp Fosters A Love of Animals
Owning a pet can be expensive. It also requires a lot of responsibility.
“We have to get food, a food bowl, water bowl, poop bags, and stuff like that,” said Lily Colai of Minneapolis.
Colai is one of the children who signed up for the Animal Humane Society’s week-long summer camp. It’s a popular camp in Golden Valley that’s geared toward kids who love animals. The camp runs through the first week of August, and every week, there’s a new batch of eager young minds.
“They’re learning lessons, they’re meeting animals, they’re making friends,” said Rachael Dashiell, the Animal Humane Society’s education manager.
Dashiell helps run the program, and the goal is that campers not only have fun, but learn something in the process.
“We certainly don’t expect them to remember everything we teach them, but if they can walk away knowing the signs of a comfortable animal or knowing that they really have a passion for veterinary science then that’s awesome,” Dashiell said.
Summer camp leader Owen Johnson takes kids through the retail floor of the Animal Humane Society to teach them about all the costs associated with adopting a pet.
‘Really Hard to Take Care Of’
One of the activities involves teaching kids about the adoption process — and it doesn’t take long for them to learn than it involves a lot more than simply buying a pet and taking it home.
The costs can add up.
“So in total, our dog is gonna cost $896.88, and that’s including all the materials we need to get for our dog today,” said Owen Johnson, a summer camp leader.
It’s a lesson that hit home for camp participants.
“Getting a dog is very expensive and you need to have love and care for it and make sure you also have the money for it,” said Frankie Miceli, one of the campers.
A pet can be “really hard to take care of, and if they get hurt then it’s, like, really serious,” said Colai.
The kids also take part in other enrichment activities throughout the week, such as learning about the role service animals play, courtesy of Can-Do Canines.
Ultimately, this camp can be a starting point for children who may want to pursue a career in veterinary medicine or animal welfare.
“Me and my friend said that we might wanna work somewhere like this, like at a shelter or a vet or something like that,” Colai said. “So I think this camp will help a lot with that.”
The summer camp in Golden Valley is full, but there is a wait list. However, there is camp availability at the Animal Humane Society’s St. Paul Veterinary center.
Related: Animal Humane Society Offers Discounts on Guinea Pig Adoptions
