This is the 9th year that Sauvons nos Animaux has held their Animal Friendly Kids Camp. When it started in 2016, nine children attended the camp. In recent years, Sauvons nos Animaux hosted about 240 campers. This year, due to funding challenges, an average of 140 children attended the 5 day/week, 7-week camp.
Animal Friendly Kids Camp, 2024
During the 2 months of Animal Friendly Kids Camp, campers participate in many different activities at the shelter, including educational activities and shelter tasks. Campers sing songs, draw pictures, write stories, all with animal themes. All children receive a vegetarian lunch each day.
Usually, Sauvons nos Animaux plans a special project for each year's Animal Friendly Kids Camp, and the special project this year was to make enclosed beds for the cats to keep them warm and dry during eastern Congo's rainy, cold seasons. This year, Animal-Kind International (which means, you, our supporters) funded the entire cost of the camp.
During weeks 1 and 2, Sauvons nos Animaux staff showed the campers around the shelter and explained the purpose of the animal shelter and the role of the shelter staff. They taught the kids how to approach dogs and how to pet them and how to hold puppies and kittens. The staff explained the body language of cats and dogs.
From their parents and school teachers, most of the kids had only learned to fear animals. If they were taught to interact with animals at all, it was usually about controlling them, and usually with force or violence. But at the Sauvons nos Animaux shelter, for the 1st time, the kids learned about being kind to animals, thinking of them as our friends and playmates, and understanding their reliance on us and our responsibilities to them.
From these pictures, it looks like they learned their lessons well!
During the next few weeks, the campers helped with tasks around the shelter. One of the activities they most enjoyed was bathing the dogs.
During the last couple of weeks of camp, some of the kids made enclosed kitty beds out of plastic basins. The cattery at the shelter has a roof (which is a little leaky), but has open sides, where rain and cold air can blow in. These beds will keep the kitties warm and dry and are perfect hideaways for shy cats.
Many Sauvons nos Animaux volunteers and staff have previously attended the Animal Friendly Kids Camp. Which 2024 campers will become animal shelter staff, who might become a vet, which campers will be lifelong animal advocates? We can't wait to find out!
Animal Friendly Kids Camp & More: Video by Paterne
Watch this video to not only get a good idea of what camp is like, but to see the dogs and cats and people of the Sauvons nos Animaux animal shelter.
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