Page 48 - AreaNewsletters "June 2021" issue

For information, visit dd .org (303) 751-5772
Humane Education
& Outreach Help End Pet Homelessness
The Dumb Friends League believes that humane education plays an essential role in ending pet homelessness and animal suffering, and our small yet mighty team of three is sharing our message throughout communities each month. Our Humane Education department offers 18 programs at our shelter and throughout the Denver metro and Aurora, Adams, Arapahoe, Douglas and Jefferson County communities on various animal welfare topics. Classes are year-round and divided into day, extended and community programs for students in grades kindergarten through 12 and community groups of all ages. Except for youth camps, clubs and junior volunteering, which have a minimal fee, most programs have no charge.
The League’s Humane Education team had to rethink what education looked like as soon as schools moved to virtual environments last year, and they worked with parents and teachers to navigate animal welfare education questions and needs. Since COVID-19 began, the Humane Education team:
• Recorded and shared 18 lessons in the form of short videos. All videos are free and offer adults and children virtual engagement and learning opportunities. Check out ddfl.org/humane- education/virtual-lessons—and for the special pups in your life, don’t miss the Barks and Biscuits recipe. It’s a tail-wagging treat!
• Created a six-week summer challenge that
kept children and
families engaged
with creating chalk art, making posters, ridding neighborhoods of trash and painting our longest stay animals at our shelters. Not only did participants have fun, they learned and helped the animals in our care when they needed extra love.
• Modi ed our Tales for Tails lessons, which provided young learners with the opportunity to read to shelter cats at the Leslie A. Malone Center in Denver in a socially distanced manner and respecting guidelines.
• Offered Junior Volunteer Club sessions that allowed teenagers to volunteer at our shelters alongside a paired adult volunteer (again in a socially distanced way and respecting guidelines).
• Produced a heartwarming video of children reading to their pets to share with senior center residents to lift their spirits and ward off loneliness until we’re able to meet face to face.
• Developed a plan to expand the Tales for Tails reading program to the Harmony Equine Center so that kids in rst through twelfth grades have the opportunity to tour Harmony, learn about horses and practice their reading skills while spending time with equines.
The COVID-19 crisis remained a concern when the 2020/2021 school year began, with many students enrolled in online learning programs for the full academic year and others following
June 2021 • Castle Rock “AreaNewsletters”
48
P E T CA R E