Get kids involved with LTBHS
Have young animal lovers in your home? Check out the ideas below about how to get them involved!
Educate! Just because they’re kids doesn’t mean they aren’t good communicators! If they’re old enough to understand, they can simply spread the word to friends and family on the importance of spaying and neutering. An unaltered pet and their offspring have the potential to have thousands of offspring in several years’ time, many of which end up homeless in shelters each year. This is another great way for them to spread awareness toward their peers in regard to the number of homeless animals that are waiting for new homes in shelters each year and to encourage people to adopt their next pet.
Volunteer-they will need to come with a parent or guardian, but kids can walk dogs, help socialize cats, and even participate in some light cleaning if they’re up for it!
Host a bake sale or lemonade stand-this is fun for kids and it help the shelter, too-win, win! Have them gather a few of their friends and organize a simple sale selling homemade treats (or even crafts!). It’s hard to resist a yummy cookie from a cute kid with a great cause!
Birthday donations-we are fortunate at LTBHS that we have a caring community of kids who often think of us on their birthday! If there’s not a lot that the child needs or wants, they can ask family and friends to gather supplies, treats, food or money for shelter animals in lieu of birthday gifts. The feeling that they get of giving back is often greater than receiving a bunch of presents that they may or may not actually like.
Start a donation drive at school or part of an extracurricular group! If the teacher, principal or leader of the group are on board, a donation drive is a great way to gain essential items like food, treats, toys, leashes, collars, litter, bleach and other cleaning supplies.
Foster an animal-this obviously requires the entire family’s participation, but if everyone is up for it, consider becoming a foster family to an animal in need. Animals that typically need to be fostered are ones recovering from an injury or health related issue (such as Heartworm Disease) or litters of kittens and their mom who aren’t ready to be adopted yet. Kids can be a big help caring for foster animals and also learn just how much work it can be to care for an animal in need at the same time!
Shelter Buddies Reading Program-Our Shelter Buddies Reading Program takes place every Thursday from 10 a.m. – 1 p.m. during the summer months. Shelter Buddies Reading Program is open to children of any age and allows them to read to a shelter dog or cat. Stay tuned for the 2023 Shelter Buddies schedule which will be announced in the spring.
Creative Kids & Cats-this is a program for young animal lovers who want to use their creativity and compassion to help our shelter cats find their forever homes. Participants will be introduced to a specific shelter cat to spend time with and get to know and will then color a picture of their new feline friend and write a letter from the animal’s perspective to potential adopters telling them all the great things about that animal and why they should adopt them. Learn more here.