PAWS of Muskingum County Hosts Pet Education Camp for Local Children
Interviewed by WHIZ reporter Gabe Hutton
A local nonprofit organization recently brought together families and animal lovers for a day focused on pet education and responsible pet ownership.
PAWS of Muskingum County hosted a four-hour educational camp designed to teach children ages 5 to 10 how to properly care for pets, with a special focus on dogs and cats. Throughout the event, children participated in a variety of hands-on activities, role-playing exercises, sing-alongs, and even had the opportunity to meet a friendly golden retriever.
According to Tammy Jones, Director of Fundraising for PAWS, the camp was created to help children understand that owning a pet is a lifelong commitment.
“Kids ages 5 to 10 are learning how to take care of an animal, that it’s not just about the pretty collars and fancy bows,” Jones said. “It’s cleaning litter boxes and picking up after your puppy. It’s a lifelong commitment, not something that you can simply put away when you’re done. Through role play, art activities, and singing, they’ve learned a lot today.”
In addition to teaching responsible pet ownership, the camp also focused on helping children learn how to safely interact with animals they may encounter outside their own homes.
Jones explained that participants learned the proper way to approach and pet dogs, emphasizing the importance of always asking an owner for permission before interacting with a pet.
“We taught the kids how to safely approach a dog and the proper way to pet them,” Jones said. “The most important thing is to always ask, ‘Can I pet your dog?’ We also had a guest speaker talk about how to approach a cat, which is totally different. You use a soft voice, move slowly, and avoid touching near their face.”
While education was a major focus of the camp, organizers said making the experience fun was equally important. Judging by the smiles on campers’ faces, the event succeeded in doing both.
Abby Bash, who brought her nieces to the camp, said the experience provided valuable lessons while allowing children to spend time learning about animals they already love.
“I mean, there’s plenty of experience that they gained from being here today, like responsible pet ownership and the importance of emotional support animals,” Bash said. “They just love animals in general, so it’s a pretty cool experience for them. It’s amazing. They could be our future vet techs or future veterinarians, so it’s very, very valuable.”
Organizers hope the camp will inspire children to become more responsible pet owners while developing a deeper understanding of animal care and welfare.
For more information about PAWS of Muskingum County and its programs, visit the organization’s website.
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