Calgary Humane Society camp helps kids take care of pets

If a new furry friend was hiding under the Christmas tree this year, and you’re hoping to teach your child how to care for the new family pet, the Calgary Humane Society’s (CHS) after-school camp will be able to help out.

“I think it’s really special when you see …  that ‘aha’ moment on a child’s face,” said Anna-Lee Fitzsimmons, associate director of Community Engagement.

The after-school animal care camps are open for kids between the ages of seven and 16, and the CHS says it will teach kids the responsibility that comes along with owning a pet.

“We do see some kids that have animals at home and they end up learning a lot here and then they can implement what they learn at home,” Fitzsimmons said.

“Sometimes there’s families that are thinking of bringing home a new pet and they want to see that their child is really invested in that, so they’ll put them through an education program here so that they learn about the responsibility and care requirements. Different things like that,” Fitzsimmons said.

Kids will learn empathy and compassion for animals, and Fitzsimmons says teaching proper animal care at a young age can help prevent animal abuse.

READ MORE:

• Events in Calgary celebrating New Year’s 2023

• Unhoused to benefit from free coffee: Calgary Homeless Foundation

  ---

At the camps, kids can help make enrichment tools, practice their reading for the animals, and work alongside animal care teams—including washing beddings. The Humane Society says kids will get a hands-on education on a variety of animals, not just pets they may have.

“There really is something for every kid that’s interested in animals of every species. Just yesterday, we had a guest speaker come into our camps, and talk about whales,” Fitzsimmons said.

The Humane Society’s camps run Monday-Thursday from 5 to 7 p.m., and parents can register their child for the ten-week program on the Humane Society’s website.