Kids Learn Responsible Pet Care

ELIZABETH ANDARGE. >> WHETHER IT'S A CAT, A DOG, A REPTILE OR RABBIT CATS ARE PART OF THE MAJORITY OF HOUSEHOLDS. THE AMERICAN PET PRODUCTS ASSOCIATION SAYS AT LEAST 94 MILLION AMERICAN HOUSEHOLDS, ROUGHLY 70% OF ALL HOMES HAVE A PET AND WITHIN MANY HOUSEHOLDS COMES THE COMPLICATED RELATIONSHIP BETWEEN CHILDREN AND ANIMALS. YOU CAN TAKE TIME FOR A CHILD TO WARM UP TO A PET OR VICE VERSA THAT THE CAPE CORAL ANIMAL SHELTER IS REACHING OUT TO THE COMMUNITY TO HELP KIDS LEARN HOW TO BOND WITH AND HANDLE OUR FOUR-LEGGED FAMILY MEMBERS. FOR MORE ON THE EDUCATION INITIATIVE. I'M NOW JOINED BY LIZ MCCAULEY, THE EXECUTIVE DIRECTOR OF A CAPE CORAL ANIMAL SHELTER. WELCOME. >> WELL, THANK YOU FOR HAVING ME. THIS IS A GREAT OPPORTUNITY >> CAN YOU EXPLAIN TO OUR VIEWERS WHAT IS THE ANIMAL SHELTERS? WHAT IS THE SCOPE OF THE SERVICES THAT THEY PROVIDE? >> SO WE ARE, OF COURSE, AN ADOPTION FACILITY. SO WE DO ADOPTIONS ABOUT. >> 1000 OF THEM A YEAR. >> AND WE ALSO HAVE A LOS LOW-COST CLINIC THAT'S FULL-SERVICE CLINIC TO THE COMMUNITY. SO WE PROVIDE ANY KIND OF VETERINARY CARE. >> TO THE PUBLIC AND IT'S OPEN TO THE TO ANYONE WHO WANTS TO COME TO IT. WE DO EDUCATION PROGRAM, WHICH I KNOW WE'RE GOING TO TALK ABOUT. WE DO LOW COST SPAY NEUTER. WE DO TNR WHICH IS AN IMPORTANT SERVICE IN THE COMMUNITY FOR THE OVERPOPULATION OF CATS. WE DO LOTS OF PROGRAMS WITH HIM, VARIOUS GROUPS THROUGHOUT THE CAPE CORAL AREA AND I'M JUST HAPPY TO BE SUCH A PART OF THE COMMUNITY. THAT'S BEEN A GREAT 6 YEARS THAT WE'VE BEEN OPEN. >> AND AS YOU TOUCHED ON, YOUR MISSION EXTENDS BEYOND THE WALLS OF YOUR SHELTER. YOU'RE ACTUALLY GOING INTO THE CLASSROOMS IN OUR PUBLIC SCHOOL SYSTEM. YES. WHAT IS THE PURPOSE OF THAT? WELL, THIS HAS BEEN SOMETHING VERY IMPORTANT TO US BECAUSE IN ANIMAL WELFARE, OFTENTIMES YOU SEE. >> ANIMALS THAT HAVE BEEN ABUSED OR NEGLECTED AND MANY TIMES IT COMES DOWN TO THE EDUCATION. IT'S JUST COULD BE A CULTURAL DIFFERENCE. IT COULD BE JUST THAT PEOPLE DON'T UNDERSTAND THAT THEY NEED TO TAKE THEIR ANIMALS TO THE VET OR WHAT TO LOOK FOR AND TAKING CARE OF THAT. SO WE THOUGHT THE BEST PLACE TO TO GET OUT THAT PROBLEM LIST ROOT OF THAT PROBLEM IS TO START WITH THE YOUNG KIDS BECAUSE THEY'RE VERY RECEPTIVE AND WE WANT TO START AN EDUCATION PROGRAM. WE THOUGHT THAT WOULD BE VERY IMPORTANT AND VERY MUCH IN LINE WITH OUR MISSION. SO WE REACHED OUT TO EDUCATORS, RETIRED EDUCATORS. WE HAVE A GREAT VOLUNTEER POOL AT THE SHELTER AND WE HAD MULTIPLE RETIRED TEACHERS WHO MISS TEACHING, BUT DIDN'T NECESSARILY WANT TO CONTINUE TEACHING AND HAVE THE GRIND OF THE DAY TODAY. PART OF THAT. SO THEY VOLUNTEER TO BE PART OF THIS. WE WERE LOOKING FOR A CURRICULUM. WE THOUGHT ABOUT WRITING OUR OWN, MAYBE JUST KIND OF PUTTING SOMETHING TOGETHER. AND THEN WE SAW A BOOK ASSUME ONE OF MY LEFT FOR SITES THAT WAS WRITTEN BY THIS WOMAN IN ROBIN WHO LIVES AND AND TENNESSEE AND SHE WROTE A BOOK CALLED ON THE DO'S AND DON'TS AND WE READ IT AND WE THOUGHT THIS IS EXACTLY WHAT WE WANT TO TEACH AND SHE WAS GOING ON TEACHING IT IN SCHOOLS IN HER COMMUNITY ARE. SO WE REACHED OUT TO HER AND SAID, HEY, RATHER THAN REINVENT THE WHEEL, CAN WE JUST USE THIS? AND SHE GAVE US PERMISSION TO USE IT. AND THAT'S WHAT WE'VE BASED OUR TEACHINGS ON. AND IT'S BEEN GREAT. WE'VE, OF COURSE, ELABORATING ON SOME OF IT. WE TAKE A DOG TO THE CLASS WHICH SHE DOESN'T NECESSARILY DO. BUT WE DO JUST BECAUSE THE KIDS GET EXCITED ABOUT THAT, THAT IT'S THE MOST IMPORTANT PART. WE KEEP THEM IN THE HALLWAY, BY THE WAY, UNTIL THEY ACTUALLY LEARN THE CLASSROOM PART OF IT. BUT IT'S BEEN A CREDIBLE PROGRAM AND WE'RE VERY MUCH IN DEMAND. WE'VE BEEN INVITED BACK TO EVERY SCHOOL WE'VE BEEN TO HAVE BEEN INVITED BACK AND WE ARE NOW EXPANDING INTO SCHOOLS THROUGHOUT LEE COUNTY. >> HOW DOES TEACHING THIS HELP THEM BECOME COMPASSIONATE? >> EMPATHETIC KIND ADULTS BECAUSE I KNOW THAT IS ALSO. >> ONE OF THE KEY MESSAGE IS THAT YOU LIKE TO SHARE? YEAH, I THINK THEY SEE. FIRST OF ALL, THE ANIMALS ARE SOME REALLY SWEET AND CUTE. AND THEY THEY REALIZE THAT IT'S IMPORTANT TO TAKE CARE OF THEM, THAT THEY DON'T HAVE A VOICE. WE TALK ABOUT THAT A LOT THAT THE ANIMALS DON'T HAVE A VOICE AND THEY NEED TO BE THE VOICE FOR THEM. I ALSO THINK IT'S IMPORTANT THAT WE TEACH CHILDREN THE BEHAVIOR ASPECT OF IT BECAUSE WHAT WE SEE AN ANIMAL WELFARE, ESPECIALLY AT THE SHELTER, IS DOGS GET RETURNED TO GET ADOPTED, A NUGGET RETURN AND WE SELL WHAT MY DOG THAT THE CHILD, WHAT HAPPENED? WELL, HE WAS EATING AND THEN THE CHILD REACHED INTO THE BOWL. WE TEACH THEM NOT TO DO THAT BECAUSE THAT'S NOT A GOOD THING TO DO. AND IT'S FUNNY BECAUSE A LOT OF THE THE STUDENTS WILL WRITE US NOTES AFTERWARDS AND ASKED TO TO TO ASK HIM WHAT THEY'VE LEARNED. AND THEY'VE LEARNED NOT TO RIDE THEIR DOG LIKE A PONY ELECT NOT TAKE THE DOGS FOOD. AND THESE ARE ALL THINGS THAT WE SEE TRANSLATE INTO. THAT'S A CHILD GETTING BIT OR HURT. AND THEN THE DOG GETTING RETURNED TO THE SHELTER. SO WE HAVEN'T IT'S ULTERIOR MOTIVE THAT WE REALLY WANT OUR ANIMALS TO GO INTO FOREVER HOMES THAT HAVE PEOPLE KNOW HOW TO DEAL WITH THAT. KIDS KNOW HOW TO DEAL WITH THAT. YOU KNOW, IT KEEPS THEM FROM COMING BACK TO THE SHELTER. >> IF THERE'S A MESSAGE THAT YOU WANT TO GET OUT TO PET PARENTS IN SOUTHWEST FLORIDA, WHAT WOULD THAT BE? >> I WOULD SAY THE MOST IMPORTANT THING IS THAT THERE'S RESOURCES AVAILABLE. YOU KNOW, RIGHT NOW, TIMES ARE TOUGH FOR SOME PEOPLE. THEY CAN'T AFFORD FOOD. THEY CAN'T AFFORD TO GO TO THAT WHEN THEIR ANIMAL DESPERATELY NEEDS IT. REACH OUT TO US, REACH OUT TO SOME OF THE OTHER SHELTERS AND THE OTHER RESCUE GROUPS THAT WILL HELP YOU. THERE'S ALWAYS HELP AVAILABLE. THE WORST THING WE HATE TO SEE IS SOMEONE COME TO US AND SAY I CAN'T AFFORD FOOD FOR MY ANIMAL. WE WILL LET THAT HAPPEN. IF YOU LOVE YOUR ANIMAL AND YOU WANT TO KEEP YOUR ANIMAL AND YOU NEED FOOD WILL FIND A WAY TO FEATURE AT ALL. SAME WITH VACCINES. WE GET A LOT OF GRANTS ARE TIED, RIGHT? A LOT OF GRANTS FOR THE SHELTER. YOU KNOW, WE CAN FIND A WAY TO TO TAKE CARE OF THOSE ANIMALS. THE MOST IMPORTANT THINGS WE WANT TO KEEP THEM HAPPY AND HEALTHY IN YOUR HOME BECAUSE THE SHELTERS ARE PACKED AND WE DON'T NEED YOU TO BRING YOUR AND OF COURSE, TO US, WE HAVE PLENTY AND THERE'S PLENTY OF OTHER ONES OUT THERE THAT ARE ABANDONED. SO, YOU KNOW, IF WE CAN HELP YOU KEEP YOUR ANIMAL. WE CERTAINLY WANT TO DO THAT. >> AND LIZ, IF SOMEONE WANTS TO FIND MORE INFORMATION ABOUT EITHER VOLUNTEERING, YOU KNOW, OR FINDING MORE ABOUT THIS EDUCATION INITIATIVE, WHAT SHOULD THEY DO? EVERYTHING ELSE ON OUR WEBSITE, CAPE CORAL ANIMAL SHELTER DOT COM. >> AND JUST TABS FOR EVERYTHING. AND WE'RE ALWAYS LOOKING FOR VOLUNTEERS NOT ONLY AT THE SHELTER, BUT WE'RE LOOKING FOR EDUCATION VOLUNTEERS AS WELL. SO IF THERE'S SOMEONE OUT THERE WHO HAS A LOVE FOR KIDS OR RETIRED TEACHERS, LIKE I SAID, THAT TENDS TO BE SOMETHING THAT THEY REALLY ENJOY. PLEASE SIGN UP TO HELP US BECAUSE WE'D LOVE TO HAVE YOU. >> ALL RIGHT, LIZ MCCAULEY, THANK YOU SO MUCH FOR JOINING US TODAY. SO HERE'S YOUR I APPRECIATE THE OPPORTUNITY. THANK YOU. >> HERE'S ANOTHER PET FACT FROM THE WGCU NEWSROOM. MARKET WATCH SAYS THE AVERAGE COST OF OWNING A DOG IS OVER $2400 PER YEAR. MOST OF THE COST IS FOR SUPPLIES. TRAINING IN VET VISITS ON AVERAGE, THE LIFETIME COST FOR CARING FOR MAN'S BEST FRIEND IS ABOUT $29,000 IN THE UNITED STATES, YOU CAN FIND MORE PET RELATED STORIES AND FEATURES ON OTHER NONPROFIT GROUPS BY VISITING OUR WEBSITE