Our Kids & Critters campers have been very busy so far this summer! Camp kicked off with Officer Avenarius and his dog Tiffany giving a presentation about the K-9 unit. Campers learned all about how Tiffany was tr ain ed, her job on the force, and what kind of situations she is called in to work.   Officer Avenarius then let the kids see Tiffany in action.

 

Campers also heard from a few dog trainers, Tory Topping from Stone Hollow and Mel Heber from Paw In Hand. Tory Topping taught the campers about some common misconceptions and mistakes that people make when attempting to train their pets. After Tory had his dogs show off some tricks, the campers got to see a service dog in training. Mel Heber offered tips and tricks for owners when training, then assisted the children in training the dogs at the DRHS.

Aside from domestic animals, the campers were able to learn about other animals. Throughout the week, the children were taught about the gestation of different animals, what the babies of different species are called, and the different egg sizes of the animals. They got to act as archaeologists and "dig" out fossils that were frozen into an ice block. The campers also made bird feeders for their trees at home!

The campers got up close and personal with a variety of animals at our shelter. Aside from dogs and cats, the campers were able to socialize with a rabbit, a snake, and hairless guinea pigs! The campers even picked one of the animals from our shelter and worked all week to create a book about the story of that particular animal. At the end of the week, parents are invited to watch the kids present their animal's story.