Second Chance: Gifting a Humane World

07 Dec Second Chance: Gifting a Humane World

Someday animal shelters will no longer be necessary. When people better understand and connect to animals like me we will no longer be mistreated or discarded. Ok, so that day is a probably a bit into the future – but if this vision inspires you, then you should read on to see how you can participate in this “movement.”

Scarlet

The mission of Second Chance Humane Society is “Saving lives and promoting the human-animal bond.” So although shelter operations are critical in saving homeless pets like me, the organization also has also focused on on prevention and humane education programs for most of its 23-year history.

Now you can play an important role in supporting their efforts in impacting how humans relate to animals.

Via one novel approach to achieving its mission, Second Chance has staff and volunteers going into the public schools in Telluride and Ridgway and bringing dogs into classrooms where children can read to the dogs and build confidence in their reading skills, as well as connect with a furry friend. In Telluride, staff and volunteers are also teaching an education unit about what it means to act humanely and how to safely interact with animals.

Second Chance is also working toward supporting teachers and students in integrating humane education into the school curriculum. Here is where you come in.

Second Chance is seeking classroom sponsors for Kind News subscriptions for elementary school classrooms. Kind News is an eight-page magazine that encourages youth to celebrate the human-animal bond and become active in efforts to protect animals through colorful articles, short features, and fun activities. Kind News teaches students how to treat animals with kindness, the importance of proper pet care and wildlife appreciation, while emphasizing abstract values like compassion, citizenship, and responsibility.

Kind News is published five times during the school year and is available in three reading levels: Primary (grades K-2), Junior (grades 3-4) and Senior Edition (grades 5-6). A classroom subscription includes 28 copies of each issue and a teacher’s guide. (Kind News is also available as a single-copy home subscription.)

A classroom subscription is $30 and includes five bimonthly bundles of one reading level of Kind News. Each bundle contains 28 copies and a teacher’s guide. The super awesome part is that through Second Chance’s Adopt-a-Classroom program, civic groups, parents, individuals, and businesses can “adopt” elementary school classes by providing them with gift subscriptions of Kind News. Now this is truly the Holiday gift that keeps giving.

Contact Second Chance to learn more about sponsoring a classroom.

My name is Scarlet, a three-and-a half-year-old white healer mix with a strong affinity for belly rubs. One of my other favorite things is to do is to meet, greet, and snuggle with people so you can imagine my delight at being the shelter dog of choice last week for the Ridgway 2nd Grade Class students to read to. I enjoyed the stories but more importantly – the belly rubs…

I love playing with other dogs too so if you are looking for the snuggliest snuggler as a new family member who exudes love and kindheartedness, I am your girl.

Editor’s note: It’s no secret. The Telluride region is dog heaven. Well, pet heaven. Unless you are one of our furry friends who gets caught in the maw of neglect and abuse. Then heaven is on hold until Second Chance Humane Society comes to the rescue. Second Chance is the region’s nonprofit dedicated to saving animals’ lives and promoting responsible pet parenting and human-animal bond. In her weekly blog, executive director Kelly Goodin profiles at least one, generally two of the many animals now living at the no-kill shelter, Angel Ridge Shelter, a dog and a cat, hoping to find them loving permanent homes. The column is sponsored by Ted Hoff of Cottonwood Ranch & Kennel, who from time to time exercises his skills as a dog whisperer, partnering with Kelly and her staff to help train a particularly challenging animal.

Ted Hoff &  Magnificent Mae

By the by, there is no better place to park your pup or get your pup (or adult dog) trained than Cottonwood whenever you head out of town (for locals) or are heading to town and staying somewhere that does not allow pets. Consider joining Ted’s Very Important Dog (VID) Club for added benies. (Details on Ted’s website.)

Dr. Michelle and Wallowby