What if some of our best teachers are ones who communicate through a quiet purr or a wagging tail?
At the Georgian Triangle Humane Society, our Humane Education programs introduce youth to a world where we firmly believe that our animals have much to teach us – even if most of the spoken conversations are one-sided. Every day, our volunteers and staff experience the profound depths of empathy and compassion that grow when we interact with animals, whether it’s through care or simply spending time together.
Our Humane Education (HE) programs for young people bring this into focus in age-appropriate ways, offering a safe space for youth ages 7-17 to have positive encounters with pets, leaving a lasting imprint on them long after they leave the Animal Centre.
A growing spotlight
This isn’t just something that we think is important. Our community is noticing as well. Over the summer, we had the privilege of being featured by several media outlets – both locally and beyond (you can read, watch, and listen to our recent press here).
This fall, we are excited to be partnering with Humane Canada to highlight a key element of our HE Programs, the Promising Practices Framework (see sidebar). Since 2024, the GTHS has been part of a committee working on developing this framework.
Skills that matter
Integrated into the HE curriculum, these Promising Practices foster values that prepare young people for life and make a positive impact in our community. At a time when empathy, kindness, compassion, and responsibility matter more than ever, our youth programs give young people the chance to grow these traits through hands-on care and meaningful lessons from animals.
All GTHS programs are built on a foundation of compassion for pets and people, well-being, perseverance, inclusivity, and lifelong learning. HE programs provide a safe space for young people to explore and build these skills in ways that are tangible and actionable in the world around them. Examples include:
- Learning empathy, as they see care given to a dog facing significant medical challenges.
- Developing perseverance by patiently interacting with a cat who is learning to trust humans.
- Broadening inclusivity by welcoming every living being, no matter their background or circumstances.
- Growing in responsibility, as they learn how to weigh, feed, and care for young kittens.
- Respecting boundaries through learning to recognize and respond to a pet’s body language.
- Living well together, as we explore the human-animal bond through positive encounters with pets.
- Taking empowered action by making proactive actions rooted in confidence and positive values.
- Building confidence in themselves by developing new skills and strengthening relationships.
Tiny encounters, lasting impact
For many youth in our Jr. Volunteers in Training program, caring for a litter of kittens is an unforgettable highlight. While it starts with time spent alongside the animals, these moments offer real-life experience, from feeding and tracking weights to practicing some of the skills used in veterinary care.
One participant in our Vets of Tomorrow program shared:
“The one moment I will remember for a long time is getting to use a needle and practice injecting water into an orange and into a banana. I have wanted to be a veterinarian for as long as I can remember, and getting the chance to actually get hands-on experience was so exciting and rewarding.”
Even our clubs leave lasting impressions. With youth as young as seven engaging in Humane Education initiatives, important lessons from pets are being developed at an early stage. As one young participant put it:
“I learned what it means when a cat poses a certain way so you know whether a cat wants to be pet or played with or if they want to be left alone.”
Fall programs are almost in session
This fall, we are offering a range of dynamic programs for youth ages 7-17:
- After School Club (ages 7-11) and Youth Club (ages 12-16) are back, providing age-appropriate spaces for youth to learn about themselves through hands-on experience with pets in our care. With a focus on building relationships and positive character traits, these programs start youth on a journey of life-long learning with animals.
- The Pet Sitter’s Course returns, offering youth ages 12-17 a space to learn basic care, pet first aid, and how to run a pet sitting business. Many of the skills learned here have other applications, as participants learn communication, leadership, responsibility, and even how to promote their pet sitting venture.
- Jr. and Sr. Vets of Tomorrow, our youth animal care programs are back, offering a glimpse into many different facets of animal care. Jr. Vets of Tomorrow I provides young people ages 10-13 with an introduction to veterinary care and responsible pet ownership. Sr. Vets of Tomorrow I is geared for youth ages 14-17 and explores these themes in even more depth. Through hands-on learning, youth explore a wide range of animal care fields – and not just veterinary. From grooming, to anatomy, to nutrition, these classes are part of a series of courses that build a foundation of understanding and animal care, all while learning about future opportunities in the animal field.
In 2024, more than 350 youth participated in after school programs at the GTHS Animal Centre. Complemented by our online youth programs, GTHS Humane Education initiatives are building real-world values and skills for young people as they care for animals, fostering curiosity and connection, strengthening the human-animal bond.
