May 6^th-12^th is Be Kind to Animals Week. We encourage you and that special child in your life to exercise these tips and make a difference for an animal in need.

Monday May 6^th: Volunteer Together

This summer, Animal Refuge Center is working hard to bring to you our newest program, Junior Ambassadors of ARC. Take a few minutes with your child to come up with some interesting discussion topics to share with the other kids in the group.

Tuesday May 7^th:  Get Crafty

Get creative and make a toy for one of the animals at ARC. Take a clean sock and fill it with stuffing and tie the loose end. Then dip it into catnip and set it out to dry. You can even paint it like a goldfish because the shape resembles one. The cats go crazy over it! For a dog toy, take a clean tube sock and put a tennis ball inside of it. Tie the loose end of the sock so that the ball doesn’t fall out. Dogs love the ball and tug-of-war combination.

Wednesday May 8^th: Get them involved in Pet Care

Take the opportunity to show your child the responsibilities of taking care of an animal. Explain the importance of training a dog and the benefit of walking them on a regular basis. Be detailed about the importance of cleaning your cat’s litter box and making sure there is fresh water at all times. If your child is old enough to understand those things, speak to them about flea treatment, heart prevention and how it is saving their lives.

Thursday May 9^th: Spread the word about Rescue Animals

Many people forget to check out their local shelter when they think of getting a new dog or cat but these homeless animals are worthy of homes too! Teach your child about the benefits of rescuing an animal. Do your research on the pros and cons of buying a pet from a pet store. Then tell family and friends about the animals that are in need of families.

Friday May 10^th: Fundraise

It takes a lot of money to run a no kill animal shelter. At ARC, eighty eight cents of every dollar goes to the direct care of the animals. Sometimes ARC takes in animals knowing that they are very sick so it can take a lot of money to nurse them back to health. You and your child can help us by starting a donation drive or setting up donation canisters. Don’t forget to donate your old towels and linens to the shelter to help keep the animals comfortable while they wait for their forever families to rescue them.

Junior Ambassador's club

Junior Ambassadors of ARC is a newly formed club for kids, ages 10-15, who want to be involved with animals. The first meeting will be held in June 2012, after school gets out for the summer.

ARC’s goal is to educate the younger generation about responsible pet ownership and the humane treatment of animals.

Junior Ambassadors will go through an orientation that consists of a tour of the facility and an explanation of all of our guidelines. The Junior Ambassadors will then become active members of our volunteer program. An active Junior Ambassador would attend club meetings and help with ARC events.

To become a Junior Ambassador, it is mandatory that a parent is involved and willing to participate in all functions with their child. Junior Ambassadors will not be handling the animals in any unsafe manner.

If your child is interested in becoming a part of this wonderful group, please contact Caroline at vcarc@animalrefugecenter.net or call at (239) 257-1258.