Summer camp for kids at Animal Welfare League

This News By You article about the Arizona Animal Welfare League's Summer Camp for Kids was submitted by Debra J. White.

Nearly forty elementary school children crowded around the chinchilla, giggling as they took turns bathing the furry little creature.

"That was fun," 9-year-old Deji Sholola said about his first time at the Arizona Animal Welfare League's summer camp. "I really like it here."

A weeklong program for children ages 7 to 12 starts with an introduction to the wide world of animals. After education manager Sarah Hock spends time talking about domestic animals and responsible pet ownership, the conversation shifts to other creatures and their place in our world.

A variety of exotic pets live at the AAWL, either abandoned or given to them by the Phoenix Herpetological Society. Among them is a 5-foot-long iguana left when the owner moved to Europe.

Snakes, turtles and hissing cockroaches also make their home at the Phoenix shelter.

Education staff and volunteers help children learn about a variety of animals from around the world. They see pictures of bears and coyotes and native animals like the javelina.

Children also tour the shelter, which takes in 2,000 pets every year.

Deji, whose only pet is a fish, enjoyed the interaction.

"I loved playing with the puppies," said Deji, who one day hopes to adopt his own dog.

That afternoon, soapy bubbles drifted into the air as children scrubbed dogs under the supervision of staff and teen volunteers.

Karina Bolton, 11, who attended camp last summer, didn't mind getting wet.

"I like dogs and had fun watching them get washed," she said.

The next day, education assistant Teri Hawkins caught the children's attention with a clicker, a common tool used for obedience training.

"We taught a few skills they can use at home," Hawkins said.

As long as they're of an appropriate age, Hawkins said, children should take a role in training the family dog.

Veterinary medicine was included in the camp itinerary. Children watched a spay/neuter surgery.

"A few kids opted not to look, but most were intrigued with the procedure," Hawkins said. "They asked the vet lots of questions."

The veterinarian talked about vaccinations and the role they play in pet care.

Eleven-year-old Ilsa Dick has a dog, cat and a fish at home. She called the surgery "a bunch of fun."

Safety around animals is important to the AAWL, so the camp included a session on proper dog and cat introduction. Bite prevention was covered as well.

Naturally, the staff brought up pet overpopulation.

Kids learned why people give up pets and what shelters do to help," Hawkins said. "We asked for their input, and it's amazing how creative and compassionate children are."

To make learning fun, children played games about animals, drew pictures and made toys for shelter pets. On their last day, they made a poster that included sketches of animals. They jotted down facts they learned about animals. The afternoon ended with a festive party so they would leave the camp with a humane message about kindness and concern to animals.

Camper Alexi Solway lets a rat crawl under her chin during Camp Ruffin' It at the Arizona Animal Welfare League.