dupage ounty animal are & ontrol’s pet care & safety patch …€¦ · understanding what...
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DuPage County Animal Care & Control’s
Pet Care & Safety Patch Program
Leader’s Guide
Brownie/ Cub Scout Level Requirements
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DuPage County Animal Care & Control’s
Pet Care & Safety Patch Program Description DuPage County’s Pet Care & Safety Patch Program consists of three levels: Daisy, Brownie/Cub
Scout, and Junior Girl Scout/Boy Scout. At each level, the scouts participate in a variety of age-
appropriate activities designed to teach her or him about interacting safely and responsibly
with pets. All activities can be done at home or during troop meetings.
The last activity the troop will do is visit DuPage County Animal Care & Control for a tour
(please schedule a month in advance). To schedule a tour, the troop leader should contact
Humane Educator Andy at 630-407-2808 or [email protected]. Tours require a $25
donation and are offered Monday-Friday only. Waivers (see page 26) must be signed by parents
for each child participating, all adults present for the tour must also sign a waiver.
In order for the scouts to earn the Pet Care & Safety Patch the following must occur:
The scouts must complete all required activities prior to the tour date.
The scouts must come to the tour prepared to talk and answer questions about the
activities they did.
Leaders- Please review the following with your troop before introducing the activities:
What is DuPage County Animal Care & Control?
DuPage County Animal Care & Control is an open-admission animal shelter that accepts all
domestic animals. The staff of DCACC takes excellent care of all dogs, cats, and small animals in
their care and works very hard to find them new families to adopt them and give them a loving,
life-long home. DCACC also works to prevent and control rabies and to enforce state and
county animal control and welfare laws, and to teach responsible pet ownership.
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What is the difference between a domestic and a wild animal?
Domestic Wild
Lives in houses or on farms Lives in nature
Bred to help humans Not used to being around people
Requires a human to care for it Cares for itself (food, water, shelter, etc)
How do animals come to DuPage County Animal Care & Control?
Stray
o About 45% of animals at DCACC come in as strays
o Strays are checked for microchips (will be shown during the tour)
o Strays are held for 7 days to give an owner time to reclaim
o At the end of 7 days the animal can be evaluated for adoption
Owner Surrender
o 55% of animals at DCACC come in as owner surrenders
o After a behavioral assessment and veterinary exam they may be placed up for
adoption
Why might someone need to surrender (give up) their pet (have scouts come up with some
answers)?
Moving
Allergies
Landlord won’t allow
Cost of pet care
Too many pets
Behavior/lack of training
New baby
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DuPage County Animal Care & Control’s Pet Care & Safety Patch
Brownie/Cub Scout Level
Scouts must complete the activities listed below, as well as visit DuPage County Animal Care &
Control for a tour (please schedule one month in advance). Tours are offered Monday-Friday
and require $25 donation. DCACC iron on patches can be purchased for $2 a scout. Please
contact Andy Salis, Humane Educator and Special Events Coordinator, at 630-407-2808 or
[email protected] to schedule a tour.
Activity 1- What do pet’s need to be healthy/happy?
Understanding what your pet needs to be healthy/happy is the first step to becoming a
responsible pet owner. This exercise will allow children to understand the needs of their pets
and understand the commitment needed to be a responsible pet owner.
Start a discussion with your troop, have them identify the things that pets need/want to
stay healthy and happy. List the items they identify on a white/chalk board.
o Food
o Water
o Medical care
o Clothing
o Shelter
o Entertainment
o Exercise
o Grooming/bathing
o Love
o Friendship
Have each child make a “Doggy Bag” by following the instructions on pages 6-8.
Fill the “Doggy Bag” with items that are needed to keep a pet healthy and happy.
When the “Doggy Bag” is complete each child can take the bag home and share it with
their friends and family by having them pick an item out of the bag and having them
guess what pets need from the picture represented
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Activity 2- Feeding Your Pet a Healthy Diet
What kind of food is best for your dog or cat? Dog or cat food! Even though our animals love
tasty snacks from our plates it is generally not a good idea for them to eat people food. Some of
the things that people eat can be poisonous to dogs and cats. On page 9, list six things that you
should never feed to a dog.
As a troop or as individuals have children reach out to a local veterinary clinic (by phone
or email) and ask a veterinarian why dogs and cats should not eat people food.
Have scouts do an online search for “foods that are toxic to pets”
Using the information they find complete the list on page 9.
Activity 3- How Should We Behave Around Animals?
An exercise designed to teach children the right way to behave around their pets at home. Find
out when it is okay to play and when it is best to leave your pet alone.
During a troop meeting have children be actors/actresses and act out scenarios on
pages 10-12 with their troop mates.
Discuss with your troop when it is safe/unsafe to approach a pet at home
Activity 4- Understanding Animal Body Language
Animals cannot tell us with words how they are feeling, instead they have to use their bodies.
Being able to read a dog or cat’s body language is important so that we may interact with them
in a safe and friendly manner.
Pass out the attached dog and cat body language sheets (see pages 13-14).
Review dog and cat body language with your troop.
Show your troop pictures of cats and dogs (see page 15-19) and have them decide how
that animal is feeling and if it is okay to approach or if it should be left alone.
o Pg 15- Friendly dog: tail relaxed, open/smiling mouth, relaxed ears and body
position
o Pg. 16- Frightened/upset cat: tense body, hackles raised, body arched, tail down
and fluffed
o Pg. 17- Scared dog: hunched posture, looking away, flattened ears, tail curled
under body
o Pg. 18- Angry dog: flat ears, tense posture, wrinkled brow, teeth bared
o Pg 19. Friendly cat: tail up w/ tip pointed, forward ears, relaxed body position
Complete worksheet (see page 20), have scouts match the appropriate words with each
dog, they can color in the dogs on the worksheet.
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Activity 5- Staying Safe Around Neighborhood Dogs
How can you stay safe around dogs in your neighborhood? Take a look at the Pet Safety in Your
Neighborhood” coloring sheet (page 21). (Make a copy for each troop member). Here there are
some examples of smart ways to be around dogs you don’t know, and there are some examples
of not-so-smart ways to interact with strange dogs.
Talk about the picture with your troop.
Draw an “S” in the boxes near all of the people you think are being safe. Draw a “U” in
the boxes near the people you see that should not be doing what they are doing
(answers on page 22).
As a group, talk about how the unsafe people could become safer.
Activity 6- Amazing Animals!
We are lucky to have dogs and cats in our lives because they are amazing animals! As a troop,
read the AMAZING dog and cat facts on pages 23 & 24 to learn more about them.
Pass out fact sheets to each troop member.
Have them take turns reading some of the amazing animal facts.
Troop members can share fun facts about their own pets.
Activity 7- Things We
You may be surprised to realize how much we have in common with our pets! We need many
of the same things to stay healthy and happy! Complete the activity sheet on page 25 and talk
about it with your troop.
Pass out the worksheet on page 25 to your troop. Have them complete at home or
during a meeting.
Review with your troop the common things that they and their animals need to be
healthy/happy.
Ask troop how they can make sure their pets get everything that they need.
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Doggy Bag
Materials needed:
Brown paper lunch bag, construction paper, glue, scissors, markers or crayons
Instructions:
Cut out parts of pattern below
Trace pattern pieces onto construction paper and cut them out.
Glue pieces onto the paper lunch bag.
Use markers, crayons, or any craft items you wish to decorate your bag.
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Doggy Bag
Color and cut out each item below. Place items that are needed to keep a pet healthy and
happy into your completed Doggy Bag.
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Doggy Bag
Color and cut out each item below. Place items that are needed to keep a pet healthy and
happy into your completed Doggy Bag.
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Six foods I promise to never feed to my dog…
1. ________________________________________________
2. ________________________________________________
3. ________________________________________________
4. ________________________________________________
5. ________________________________________________
6. ________________________________________________
Did you know… one of the most common ways that pets are poisoned is when
people give them medicine meant for humans? Medicine such as acetaminophen
(like Tylenol), ibuprofen (like Advil), and NSAIDS (like aspirin or Aleve) are safe for
people but can make a dog or cat very sick!
Go to: http://www.aspca.org/pet-care/poision-control/ and find the phone
number for the ASPCA’s Animal Poison Control Center.
Write the phone number here:
__________-__________-__________
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How Should We Behave Around Animals? Members of the troop should take turns acting out the scenarios below.
Activity # 1: A Cat Runs and Hides
1. Scenario #1
Cat: Is walking around the house
Child #1: Sees cat and chases him/her
Cat: Hisses, runs into corner and hides
Child #1: Continues to approach cat
Cat: Pretends to scratch child
Ask audience: Was this the right or wrong thing for the child to do? How do you think the cat
felt? Explain that an animal may bite or scratch when they are scared or when they feel
cornered. The best thing we can do is respect how they feel and leave them alone if that’s what
they want.
2. Scenario # 2
Cat: Is walking around the house
Child #2: Approaches cat slowly, holding her hand out
Cat: Sniffs hand, then rubs against the child. The cat walks away.
Child #2: The child says, “Looks like she’s had enough” and walks away
Ask audience: Was this the right or the wrong thing for the child to do? How do you think the
cat felt? The child did the right thing. Just like us, sometimes animals like to be left alone.
Maybe the cat just wanted to be by herself. It shows kindness and compassion to respect an
animal’s feelings.
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Activity #2: A Dog is Eating His Food
1. Scenario #1 Dog: The dog is eating her food. Child #1: Walks over to the eating dog and playfully pretends to take the food away. Dog: The dog growls angrily at the child.
Ask the audience: Was this the right or the wrong thing to do? Why do you think the dog reacted that way? Explain the dogs like to protect things. What does protect mean? It means that you keep something safe. What else might a dog protect? Her puppies, toys, owner, home, yard, a bone, etc. Does this make the dog mean? NO! It is normal dog behavior. We have to respect that.
2. Scenario #2 Dog: The dog is eating her food. Child #1: The child notices the dog, but keeps on walking. Dog: The dog looks at the child but continues to eat.
Ask the audience: Was this the right or the wrong thing for the child to do? The best thing to do if you see your dog protecting something is to leave her alone. A dog, even your own dog, may bite is she thinks you are trying to take something valuable away from her. The smart thing to do is keep walking!
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Activity #3: A Cat is Sleeping:
1. Scenario #1
Cat: The cat is sleeping soundly, curled up in a ball on the floor.
Child #1: Walks over to the cat and puts her hand on the cat’s side shaking the cat,
waking her suddenly.
Cat: The cat jumps up, hisses, and arches her back. She lets out a loud g-r-r-r-r-r-o-w-l.
Ask the audience: Was this the right or the wrong thing for the child to do? Just like us, dogs
and cats sleep and dream. If an animal is peacefully asleep and then is suddenly woken up, the
animal might be confused and scared, and they might not recognize you right away. There is a
chance that they might bite or scratch.
2. Scenario #2
Cat: The cat is sleeping soundly, curled up in a ball on the couch.
Child #2: The child, in another room, decides to play with the cat. She walks into the
room and sees the cat sleeping on the couch. The child says to herself, “I would really
like to play with Kitty right now, but I can see that she is sleeping. I will come back later.”
Ask the audience: Was this the right of the wrong thing for the child to do? Learning about
natural behaviors of our dog and cat friends will allow us to stay safe around them and to
appreciate them more. They will appreciate us more too!
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Dog Bites Dos and Don’t
Dog bites can be avoided
when people behave safely
around dogs and pet owners
act responsibly.
Look at this picture. Write an
“S” in the box next to each
example of someone behaving
safely and responsibly with a
dog. Write a “U” in the box
next to each example that
shows unsafe behavior around
a dog.
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Dog Bites Dos and Don’ts Answer Key Did you recognize which examples in the picture showed someone behaving safely and
responsibly with a dog? Were you able to spot examples of unsafe behavior? Check your
answers here.
Safe, Responsible Behavior(S)
Always walk your dog on a leash. And, keep your cats indoors where they are safe from
traffic and other animals.
Before petting someone else’s dog (or cat), ask the owner for permission. After getting
permission to pet the dog, always let the dog sniff the back of your hand before petting
him.
When a dog approaches you, stand still and quiet like a tree. Keep your hands at your
side.
When you are not walking your dog, keep him or her indoors with you, or in a fenced
yard when he is getting some fresh air. Spend time playing with and caring your pets
each day.
Unsafe Behavior (U)
Don’t approach a dog (or cat) while he or she is eating, sleeping, or guarding something.
Pets naturally guard their food, their babies, and their toys. Dogs also protect their
owners, as well as the property that belongs to their owners, such as the owner’s home,
yard, or car.
Don’t try to pull a toy, a stick, or any item from a dog’s mouth.
Don’t run away from a dog that is chasing you. A dog’s natural instinct is to chase and
catch someone who is running away. If you stand still, the dog will most likely stop, sniff
you, and leave you alone when he or she realizes you are not a threat. Also, do not
chase or tease dogs or cats, and avoid petting or picking up strange pets.
Don’t approach a dog (or any other animal) that is injured. Instead, tell an dult about the
animal.
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Your AMAZING Dog!!!
As a troop, take turns reading each of the amazing dog facts. If you have a dog, tell your troop
members one thing about your dog that makes him/her special and unique. If you don’t have a
dog, tell your troop members what you like or admire about dogs.
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Your AMAZING Cat!!!
As a troop, take turns reading each of the amazing cat facts. If you have a cat, tell your troop
members one thing about your cat that makes him/her special and unique. If you don’t have a
cat, tell your troop members what you like or admire about cats.
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Things We Need in Common With Our Pets! You may be surprised to realize just how much we have in common with our pets. We need
many of the same things! Below is a list of NEEDS. Place an “X” in the box under ME if the need
is something you require. Place an “X” in the box under MY PETS if the need is something a pet
requires. How many of these NEEDS do we share with our pets?
Can YOU make sure your pets get all of the things they need?
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