Be Kind To Animals is Humane Education Focus

Well, the school year is in full swing and so are our Humane Education volunteers and programs. I am excited to report that we will be offering two entirely new programs this year. Although these programs will be a permanent part of our humane education curriculum, they were developed as a way to participate and celebrate "Be Kind to Animals Week".

Be Kind to Animals Week, held during the first full week of May each year, is the oldest national week of its kind celebrated by animal shelters and humane societies throughout America. The week is promoted nationally by the American Humane Association, a federation of more than 800 animal care and control agencies nationwide and is sponsored this year by: Friskies Partners for Pets, Sierra TM The Safer Antifreeze, Animal Planet - all the animals, all the time cable channel, and Newsweek Magazine.

Kind Kids Story Hour
Kind Kids story hour is the first of our two new programs and is directed towards pre-school and kindergarten children. Stroudwater Books of Dover, NH has generously offered the children's section of their store as a place to hold the story hour. Twice a month we will feature stories on different animals. Along with the stories, we plan to have guests who actually own or work with the animal featured. For example, in December we will feature a short story on a policeman and his best friend and partner "Even". Attending this story hour will be officers Ronald R. Morin and John Usher of the Dover Mounted Police with their mounts "T.J" and "King Arthur". These stories and lessons are designed to be fun and informative for kids and adults. They also go a long way towards teaching our children the importance of respect, compassion and responsibility towards not only the animals in their lives, but for the people in their lives as well. I hope you will make plans to visit one of our story hours and let us know what you think.

Kind Kids Reading Club
Stroudwater Books will also be a sponsor of this project directed towards improving reading skills and educating school children grades K-1 through 12 on the importance of treating animals with love and respect and that "kindness counts". More on that endeavor in our next newsletter.

Remember that I am always looking for volunteers who are interested in helping out in humane education department. For more information conact:
Beverly Petree
Shelter: 749-5322
Home: 332-8121
Email: [email protected]