Humane Education: opportunities for all ages

I was always "that kid" in school - the one that pushed for an animal shelter to be added to the list of volunteer locations on our school's community service day, the one who collected pet food in lieu of birthday presents, and, even as now as an adult, the one who chooses to hang out with her dog instead of her friends. If such a thing as Humane Education had existed when I was a kid, surely I would've known about it!

My first introduction to Humane Education came within two weeks of starting my job at Cocheco Valley Humane Society. Like most people, I assumed Humane Ed was exclusively for young children. CVHS actually offers a variety of programs that can be tailored to any age group, from pre-school children to senior citizens. Whether you want to learn about adoption, pet care, or even volunteer opportunities, a presentation can be made to fit your needs. Recently, the shelter even offered a presentation to a garden club about how to make their gardens more pet-friendly.

A free service we offer to the public, Humane Ed gives us a chance to go out into the community and educate animal lovers about the services we offer, how they can be great pet parents, and the many ways they can make a difference in the lives of the shelter animals. Whenever possible, we try to include shelter animals or pets owned by volunteers to help demonstrate safety around animals and proper animal handling.

As our Humane Education program continues to grow, so, too, does our need for volunteers who are willing to act as humane educators. Humane Ed volunteers come from a variety of backgrounds, including a former school teacher and a stay-at-home mom. All volunteers receive training alongside current humane educators and CVHS staff members before leading presentations of their own. If you are comfortable with public speaking and are looking for a way to help make a difference in the community, consider becoming a humane educator! For more information, contact the CVHS Volunteer Coordinator at volunteerc@cvhsonline.org or 603-749-5322 ext. 111.

Alaina Goodnough is the Promotions Coordinator at Cocheco Valley Humane Society in Dover, NH. She lives in Sanford, ME with two parrots, two cats, a bearded dragon, and two dachshunds. She can be reached at CVHS at devassist@cvhsonline.org. To learn more about Cocheco Valley Humane Society, go to www.cvhsonline.org or call 603-749-5322.