Cadettes

Cadettes (Ages 11-14 years and Grades 6-9)

Pet Badge Interest Project Career Exploration Activities

Presentation Name: Career Exploration 2

Goals: Scouts work closely with Animal Center staff to understand the needs of companion animals and the responsibilities of being a pet owner through career exploration exercises.

Career Exploration 2: Scouts will interview two Animal Center staff members to learn about the education and training required for that type of employment. Job duties will be reviewed, and a tour of the Animal Center’s adoption floor, lobby, and community room will be provided. A discussion about other jobs at the Animal Center and animal shelters will take place, too. During the visit scouts are asked to choose their favorite job at the Center, explain why it is their favorite, and identify the education and training needed to hold that position. To encourage a more thoughtful discussion, scouts are encouraged to research careers in animal sheltering on the internet or from another source before visiting with Animal Center staff.

Date & Time: By appointment.

Location: Young-Williams Animal Center

Fee: $25 per scout or $25 per group for groups of three or more.

Pet Badge Interest Project Service Projects Activities

Presentation Name: Service Projects 1, 4, 5 (Scouts must complete one)

Goals: Scouts work closely with Animal Center staff to understand the needs of companion animals and the responsibilities of being a pet owner through service projects exercises.

Service Projects 1 & 5:  Scouts will meet with an Animal Center staff to discuss animal shelter and volunteer needs. During their visit, scouts will assist the Website Coordinator with updating the Center’s website (Young-Williams Animal Center). Scouts will record information about the pets on a spread sheet, will walk animals, and will pose animals for their website photos. Scouts must be able to take direction well and be comfortable with various types of animals. More than half of the animals adopted from the Animal Center were first viewed on the Center’s website. It is a life-saving tool. Before volunteering, scouts are asked to familiarize themselves with the web site.

Service Projects 4: Scouts will meet with an Animal Center staff to identify volunteer needs apart from helping with website updates. Scouts may be permitted to volunteer with the animals on the adoption floor at the discretion of the Animal Center staff, although they may be asked to perform a variety of duties. All tasks are all designed to keep the Animal Center animals and visitors comfortable and safe. Duties might include unfolding newspaper, spot-cleaning kennels and other animal areas, folding laundry, light housekeeping, and other tasks on the Center’s adoption floor.

Date & Time: By appointment.

Location: Young-Williams Animal Center

Fee: $25 per scout or $25 per group for groups of three or more.

Pet Badge Interest Project Skill Builders Activities

Presentation Name: Skill Builders 1, 2, 4, 5 (Scouts must complete two)

Goals: Scouts work closely with Animal Center staff to understand the needs of companion animals and the responsibilities of being a pet owner through skill-builders exercises.

Skill Builders 1: Scouts will meet with Animal Center staff to discuss animal health and care. Scouts will use this information to prepare a care chart as instructed by the Girl Scout manual. Scouts will return to the Animal Center for a second visit to have their chart reviewed for accuracy and for suggested changes.

Skill Builders 2: Scouts will meet with Animal Center staff to learn about the evolutionary history and anatomy of a pet of their choosing. Also, domestication history will be discussed as will the interdependent relationship of humans and domesticated animals. Scouts will summarize this information in a chart, short paper, or other tool to present to Animal Center staff for review or to other scouts and interested parties.

Skill Builders 4: Scouts will meet with Animal Center staff to learn about the dietary and related needs of pets. They will also learn about the changes needs of pets as they age and what owners need to do to keep their animals healthy and well during every stage of life. Scouts will summarize this information in a chart, short paper, or other tool to present to Animal Center staff for review or to other scouts and interested parties.

Skill Builders 5: Scouts will spend time reviewing city and county animal laws on www.young-williams.org. Scouts will prepare questions for Animal Center staff about these laws. Animal Center staff will answer these questions and will discuss with scouts the laws designed to protect wild animals. Scouts will be asked to identify any weaknesses in the current laws and suggest new laws that might better help pets and wild animals.

Date & Time: By appointment.

Location: Young-Williams Animal Center

Fee: $25 per scout or $25 per group for groups of three or more.

Pet Badge Interest Project Technology Activities

Presentation Name: Technology 1, 3, 4, 5 (Scouts must complete two)

Goals: Scouts work closely with Animal Center staff to understand the needs of companion animals and the responsibilities of being a pet owner through technology exercises.

Technology 1: Scouts will meet with an Animal Center veterinarian to discuss companion animal health. Scouts will learn about vaccinations and other important procedures that pets require and the frequency they are needed. Three illnesses will be discussed in more detail. To encourage a more thoughtful discussion, scouts are encouraged to research this important topic on the internet or from another source before visiting with the Center’s veterinarian.

Technology 3: Scouts will meet with Animal Center staff to discuss pet safety as it applies to containment systems and tools. Although several devices will be discussed, two systems will be discussed in greater detail. Scouts will learn where to purchase the materials for each system, the cost of each system if purchased in our area, and the approximate difficulty in constructing them. To encourage a more thoughtful discussion, scouts are encouraged to research this life-saving topic on the internet or from another source before visiting with Animal Center staff.

Technology 4: Scouts will meet with Animal Center staff to learn about the exercise needs of pets and how an owner can safely meet these needs. Human exercise needs will also be touched on as this need can often be met while exercising our pets. Tools for meeting this need for pets will be discussed as will the technological advancements in the area. To encourage a more thoughtful discussion, scouts are encouraged to research this important on the internet or from another source before visiting with Animal Center staff. Scouts are also encouraged to brainstorm about new devices that might be developed to make meeting this need for pets more efficient and fun.

Technology 5: Scouts will meet with Animal Center staff to discuss the role of the Animal Center in reuniting lost pets with their owners. The concept of “stray” will be discussed as it relates to lost pets and the dangers facing stray animals will be reviewed. Technological advancements in reunited pets lost pets and owners will be discussed. Scouts will be expected to design a new tool for this purpose or write a short ad explaining how a current tool works. To encourage a more thoughtful discussion, scouts are encouraged to research this important on the internet or from another source before visiting with Animal Center staff.

Date & Time: By appointment.

Location: Young-Williams Animal Center

Fee: $25 per scout or $25 per group for groups of three or more.

Cadettes Silver Award

Goals: Cadette scouts will work closely with the Animal Center’s Humane Educator to earn their Silver Award. If the troop has not visited the Animal Center before, troop leaders are encouraged to schedule a visit and tour of the Animal Center. Scouts will be introduced to animal sheltering, the Animal Center’s role in the community, and the importance of spay and neuter. The Humane Educator can brainstorm with the scouts to identify projects for their award. Silver Award projects must be done outside of the Animal Center facility and must follow the Girl Scout Silver Award guidelines.

Program Objectives:

  1. Understand the important role of the Animal Center in our community
  2. Identify a project that would benefit the homeless animals in our area
  3. Demonstrate leadership skills through a self-paced project

Suggested Programs:

Date & Time: By appointment.

Location: Young-Williams Animal Center

Fee: $25 per scout or $25 per group for groups of three or more.

Limit: Class size is negotiable.