Adopt a Love Dog
This program connects one school class with one dog allowing the class to actively participate in caring for this dog.
Program includes:
- A visit to the shelter for the entire class with a Love Dog volunteer for an introduction to the shelter.
- A seminar addressing the importance of what it means to own a dog (or other pets)
- Students will make a schedule for care of the dog, for example three visits a week. During these visits they will help by walking the dog, cleaning his kennel and helping with other tasks at the shelter. Love Dogs org. will help to set up the initial schedule. Parents are welcome to join as volunteers.
- The class will provide regular support to the shelter while the Love Dogs will provide logistical and practical support to the school class and the shelter.
- Love Dogs is able to incorporate other educational programs into the Love Dogs program, such as lectures, counseling etc.
How to join
Schools and animal shelters register with the Love Dogs as partners – parties interested in cooperation. Registration is free and there are no financial obligations for schools or shelters.
Love Dogs will suggest suitable shelters within the local area to every school. School will choose a specific shelter to partner with.
A first visit will be organized for each class to learn about the shelter. Students will be introduced how the shelter operates and matched with a dog of the adoption program.
During the introduction the class will listen to a speech about the commitment they make when getting a dog. The final element of the initial visit is the children’s contribution to the schedule of caring for the dog.
Benefits of Collaboration
Schools & Children
Love Dogs offer children school events or an extracurricular activity in which they participate in the care of dogs in shelters in their school region. The only investment required from children is their energy and time.
Children will learn how to collaborate with classmates, to plan and organize, share the responsibility and deliver results of caring.
We believe that by connecting children and dogs we can transform the world by setting a new standard in attitudes towards animals and raising awareness for charities and specifically animal shelters.
Children will not only learn to care for pets but will also find new friends in the dogs they care for. Teaching children to love and care for their canine friends now will allow them to pass on these values in their adult life and to their own children. It teaches children a greater sense of empathy and a greater emotional connectivity to the world around them.
Children can contribute in many different ways in the Love Dogs Pilot Adoption Program and apply what they learn in school. They can:
- Create texts and other material to contribute to advertising the shelter – e.g. posters for dogs looking for a new home.
- Contribute to presentations, project designs and proposals for future sponsors
- Help translate texts for the shelters promotion materials and apply linguistic skills learned at school,
- Help to make the shelters to be a nicer place, using it as a venue for art classes, reading and poetry recitation (where possible)
- Love Dogs will host lectures and meetings allowing children to learn from thought leaders with a focus on themes such as nature, animal life, culture and travels.
Shelters & dogs
Animal shelters and their residents also benefit from the cooperation. Each shelter will be registered and will enter a large Love Dogs registry. Shelters may also offer their dogs for adoption on Love Dogs website. To join the program will mainly help to:
- Promote the activities of the shelter
- Attract new sponsors, and gain financial support
- Provide substantial care, helping hands for walking, cleaning, grooming and feeding the dogs
Also it will give a shelter possibility to be part of educational programs (to organize meetings and readings for children).