Page 41 - AreaNewsletters "Jan'19" issue

Is there really a
POOP FAIRY??
Click here!!
Every responsible pet owner knows, you need to do your duty. Cleaning up after your pet is important to keeping the Town’s parks and waterways clean. Not only is dog poop full of bacteria and potential parasites, it’s unsightly for other park and trail users. And, leaving the bag alongside the trail doesn’t cut it. Plastic bags full of poop can wash into the Town’s waterways. There is no poop fairy so please scoop your poop.
participants into small groups before they are paired with adult volunteers and learn about and work in four different areas of the shelter, including dog walking, dog kennel cleaning, cat kennel cleaning and small mammal kennel cleaning. JVC participants rotate areas to experience all aspects of the program.
The JVC program is a hands-on approach to educating kids about animal care in the shelter. When visiting the animal holding areas, volunteers become familiar with different species, including their behaviors and needs. Kids also learn to recognize when an animal is comfortable or maybe needs some alone time. Learning to respect an animal’s need for time and space is just as important as knowing the proper way to clean an animal’s enclosure.
“The JVC program is an awesome introduction for kids who either want to volunteer at a shelter or for those who are interested in working with animals as a future career,” said Community Educator Lauren Pipis. “The program provides some real, hands-on experience working with the animals in our care and gives kids an opportunity to understand what’s really involved when it comes to volunteering at the League. We love to see them learn throughout the program not only about the animals but also about how they can make a difference in the world!”
When a JVC member successfully completes the program, he/she can apply to be a junior mentor, which is for teens 13 – 18. Junior mentors build on their JVC experiences and help with various Humane Education programs and camps. Not everyone who applies to be a junior mentor is accepted into the program, but kids can still volunteer at the League with one of their parents until they are old enough to volunteer on their own.
The JVC program can spark excitement and create a passion for helping animals and contributing to our communities. The lessons learned through the program stay with JVC members and cultivate a spirit of altruism that extends beyond the shelter. To learn more about the JVC or other youth volunteer opportunities at the League, visit dd . org/youth-volunteering.
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Castle Rock “AreaNewsletters • January 2019