~Kids for Critters~

Summer Camp 2009

This year’s Kids for Critters Summer Camp was a great success. Held the week of June 8th, the kids reported they had a great time and we know they got lots of great information regarding animals, animal welfare and how to take care of them. Here’s a brief rundown of our week!



Monday:
The kids all received a t-shirt and we talked about the Quincy Humane Society and what we do here at the shelter. We went on a behind the scenes tour and learned about how we care for the animals. Our friends at Grand Paws Bakery came and we all decorated dog treats!



One of the QHS veterinarians talked about the importance of spaying and neutering pts and showed the campers the process animals go through before having surgery. They also got a sneak peek at our new surgery suite.




We socialized with animals each day of the camp.

Tuesday:
We started off the day with an activity that one of our volunteers, Lisa designed to show our campers the expense of owning an animal. The rest of the day was devoted to learning about cats. Sera, also a QHS volunteer, talked about how we classify cats at the shelter. She also talked about how to read their boy language. Then we started in on our big project of the week: building cat trees. QHS volunteer Joel worked very hard to help prepare some designs for the campers and the campers put them together and put finishing touches on the trees.

Wednesday:
Our campers had a great time working on the cat trees on Tuesday and finished them up today. We also went on a field trip to Katherine Road Animal Hospital’s Raptor Rehabilitation Center. There we learned about different raptors that are from our area and how Dr. Kaiser takes care of them.

Birds weren’t the only animal we saw there!

We finished up the day socializing with dogs in the play yard back at the shelter.

Thursday:
We started off the day with learning how to groom a dog by a professional groomer from Jane’s Pampered Pets. Next, we talked about temperament testing. All dogs over 5 ½ months of age at the shelter go through this test before they are put up for adoption. We even saw videos of 2 tests. Next, we played a game called 64 squares that taught the campers about Positive Reinforcement (the only type of training we use here at QHS) and clicker training. Afterwards, we had a craft activity where we painted bobble head dogs and cats.

To finish up the day, we had Susie Souders from Best Friends Dog Training come in and teach us more about clicker training. She demonstrated this with one of the shelter dogs and even let campers try it out.

Friday:
Today we began with decorating photo frames. Each camper got a group picture and a picture of his/her group that helped to make the cat tree.
Next, we had many special guests arrived. Jenny Benjamin, the Adams County Animal Warden brought in her orphaned raccoon that she’s been fostering along with 2 others that are fostered by one of her volunteers.

Jenny didn’t make it quite on time because she had just gotten a call about an orphaned fawn that she had to pick up before vesting us at the shelter. The campers decided to name her Jasmine.

Another of Jenny’s volunteers brought in the baby he had been fostering. She is appropriately named Foxy.

We spent the rest of the day playing Animal Jeopardy that volunteer Dawn made for us and doing our favorite activity – playing with dogs in the play yard!

We would like to thank the following people, organizations and businesses that made our 2009 Summer Camp possible.

QHS Volunteers:
Sera Jarvis
Abbey Lisica
Dawn Lisica
Joel Logue
Lisa Machold
Jamie Parrot

Quincy Service League

Grand Paws Bakery
1131 N. 2150th Ave.
Mendon, IL  62351
217.316.6757

Dr. Kaiser
Katherine Road Animal Hospital
2522 Locust St.
Quincy, IL 62301
217.228.1982

Jane’s Pampered Pets
4832 Broadway
Quincy, IL 62301
217.224.5263

Best Friends Dog Trailing
217.223.0883

Jenny Benjamin
Adams County Animal Warden
and her volunteers!