Are you a Leon County educator ?

Are you also an animal lover?

A new county-wide Animal Club for students has been formed.

 

Please consider sponsoring a chapter at your school ,

scouting organization, church or temple.

 

PAWS

Pets and Wildlife for Students

A Club for All Kids in Leon County, Florida, Who Care About Animals

 

Coordinated by
The St. Francis Wildlife Association and the Tallahassee-Leon Community Animal Service Center

 

 

 

Background Information

The Tallahassee-Leon Community Animal Service Center and the St. Francis Wildlife Association, the two largest animal rescue groups in Leon County, receive numerous calls from teachers requesting animal programs, information about animals and ideas for projects students can do to help animals.
PAWS, a combined effort of these two groups, will support these growing numbers of concerned educators who work to encourage and facilitate raising children with compassion for animals.

 

The Facts

* Each year, 10,000 homeless, neglected or abused pets are sheltered at the Tallahassee-Leon Community Animal Service Center.
* Each year, the St. Francis Wildlife Association cares for more than 3,000 sick, orphaned and injured animals, whose problems are mostly the result of unfortunate interactions with humans, their vehicles or their pets.
* A central influence in the development of a young child's character is the relationship that child has with non-human animals.
* Animal abuse by children is an accurate predictor of future violence against humans.
* All children need to be provided with and empowered by the tools, education and support to recognize and make compassionate choices in their lives.
* Section 1003.42 (2)(j), Florida Statutes requires the teaching of "kindness to animals."

 

PAWS Club Mission

Awareness of the problems faced by companion animals and wildlife does not necessarily translate into effective actions. Students will learn about important issues affecting animals, but they will also learn
specific actions that will:

1. Increase their appreciation and respect for animals.
2. Empower them to help animals.
3. Promote caring, compassion and a lifelong humane ethic toward all living beings, both human and non-human animals.
4. Encourage collaborative learning -- students teaching other students.

 

In Animal Clubs, Students Will

* Learn about animal welfare and related local issues. Club members become ambassadors for the animals, teaching other children and adults about local wildlife, humane pet care, the importance of spaying and neutering pets, how to protect and conserve wildlife populations, how to safely approach a strange animal, first aide for orphaned animals, etc.
* Participate in projects and activities that provide assistance to these organizations which help homeless pets, provide free spay and neutering for pets, and rehabilitate and care for sick, orphaned and injured wild animals.
Research shows that participating in action-based community service projects that teach appreciation and respect for animals and promote a life-long stewardship ethic, also increases students' self-esteem.

Form a PAWS Club in Your School, Scouting Organization or Neighborhood

These clubs can be organized as a classroom activity, grade level activity, afterschool club or scouting or civic group activity. Each club should have at least one adult sponsor.
Each club should meet regularly to learn about an issue and work on an adopted project.

Examples of projects:

* Make t-shirts, posters or bumper stickers that promote humane behavior;
* Raise money for homeless pets and sick, injured and orphaned wildlife by collecting coins, having a bake or crafts sale, making and selling note cards or a calendar with their animal pictures, building and selling nest boxes or bird feeders, etc.
* Collect items on the organizations' wish lists: i.e. paper towels, dried dog food, milk replacer, portable cages, blankets and towels, cleansers, food bowls.
* Sew animal toys
* Sponsor a bike-athon, bowl-athon, read-athon, etc. backed by pledges.

Clubs also participate in sponsored PAWS activities.

 

How Do You Get Started? Read: Starting an Animal Club

IF YOU ARE INTERESTED IN SPONSORING A CLUB, PLEASE CONTACT EITHER :

Sandy Beck: Education Director, St. Francis Wildlife Association; gifted teacher at Chaires Elementary and Astoria Park Elementary: e-mail - sandybeck@stfranciswildlife.org or phone: 562-8542 OR

Jan Collier: Humane Educator, Tallahassee-Leon Community Animal Service Center, e-mail - collierj@talgov.com or phone: 891-2966

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