Kids Helping Animals Newsletter


	Spring 2008

What's New

Would you like a dog to visit your classroom? Invite Ambassador Abby!

Abby is a therapy dog certified by the San Francisco SPCA who visits classrooms with her guardian Tiffany Ong, PAWS' Humane Education Coordinator. They help kids of all ages learn about animal behavior, how to be safe around dogs, and how they can help animals in their community.

The fee for this unique program is $40 for the one-hour workshop, which is available to classrooms in the following school districts: Everett, Northshore, Edmonds, Shoreline and Seattle. Please understand that Ambassador Abby needs her beauty rest, so has limited availability to make appearances. To learn more or to schedule a visit, teachers can contact the PAWS' Humane Educator at education@paws.org.

Photo of third grade class at Mountlake Terrace Elementary School.

Youth Spotlight

After participating in PAWS' Kids Who Care, a series of six, one-hour classroom workshops with, the third grade class at Mountlake Terrace Elementary decided to put their new knowledge of animals and the issues they face into action. Students brought toys from home and set up a store in their classrooms. They assigned a price to each toy, the most expensive being $1. They wrote announcements, an article for the school paper, gave class presentations, and made posters to spread the word and raise awareness. After two days of giving up recess and lunch, the class raised just over $225. These young citizens proved they can make a huge difference!

Know some cool kids helping animals? Tell us about them at PAWSkids.org!

Dear Riley,

I've noticed hawks flying in big circles in the sky when I'm riding in the car with my family. Why do they do that?

From,
Alex, age 9

Hey Alex,

I'm so glad to hear you are noticing the animals in your community! These hawks are using invisible currents of warm air, called thermals, to help them get higher up in the sky. These warm air currents rise up from patches of the earth that absorb more heat from the sun than other patches. Solitary birds like eagles and hawks often use thermals to extend their flight time as they search for food.

Your friend,
Riley Raccoon

Have a question for Riley? Send him your question and he will try to answer it. You can e-mail him at Riley@paws.org.

Photo of Buster, Where Are You? book by Judith Lane.

Buster, Where Are You? by Judith Lane

This book is based on a true story about a dog named Buster and his friend Emma. While on a walk with Emma and his guardian, Buster sees a squirrel run by and breaks loose only to be surprised by a big loud truck! Startled and scared, Buster runs too far away from Emma and his guardian and ends up lost in the park. Read Buster, Where are You? to find out what Emma does to help Buster and what you can do if your own pet ever goes missing.

Got a favorite animal book?
Tell Riley all about it. We may review it in the Kids Helping Animals newsletter.

Fun Facts: Lost Pets
Photo of a lost dog.

It has been reported that 90% of pets with some form of identification are returned to their families; 90% of pets without identification do not return.
Pets who have tags and are microchipped are the most likely to return home. Microchipped pets who have wandered as far as 50 miles away have been returned home.
Always keep an up-to-date color photo of your pet in case he or she gets loose and you need to make posters.

Learn more about finding your lost pets at PAWS.org!

Compassion Saves a Coyote

Three days after arriving at PAWS, the sick Coyote still seemed unsure about her new surroundings.

On June 28, 2007 a young man driving on the highway north of a town called Wenatchee pulled over when he passed what looked like a dead Coyote pup. This curious citizen was relieved to see that as he got closer to the small body, he was able to notice an up-and-down movement in the Coyote's chest. The Coyote was alive, but just barely. The man carefully brought the injured animal home so that he could decide what to do next with his mother's help. After a trip to a local veterinarian, the man's mother began calling around to find a local wildlife rehabilitator. Eventually, she heard about PAWS Wildlife Center. On July 3, she drove 130 miles from Wenatchee to PAWS in Lynnwood to bring in the injured pup.

The pup had suffered from a bad head injury. She was also very thin and weak. She was having a hard time standing up. The people at PAWS were not sure if she would get better. She was put in a large enclosure so that the wildlife rehabilitators at PAWS could watch her very closely. Within 10 days, the Coyote was becoming stronger and healthier.

Photo of Coyote pup being released into the wild.

The Coyote burst out of her carrier happy to be free.

Three months later, the wildlife rehabilitators at PAWS believed the Coyote was well enough to be returned to the wild. On September 25, the people at PAWS put the coyote into a carrier and headed for her wild home. They traveled up to a big, open field in Wenatchee and met the same lady that drove the Coyote to PAWS. They told her that she would have the honor of opening the carrier door to release the Coyote because she had worked so hard to save her. Once the carrier door was open, the Coyote ran out eager to explore her new home and never looked back.

After the Coyote left so happily, the lady asked the PAWS people why there had been a coyote near the highway in the first place. One person replied "Humans have destroyed so much of coyotes' natural habitat that they have learned to live near cities. This makes it our responsibility as humans to learn to co-exist with them."

If your family is having a conflict with Coyotes, or you found a Coyote who you think is injured or orphaned, remember these three steps:

1. Don't touch
2. Get an adult
3. Call PAWS Wildlife Center together at 425.787.2500 x817

Coyotes and other wild animals do not make good pets. It's also against the law to care for them yourself. Always call a wildlife center for help if you find yourself in a wildlife emergency.

Vocabulary

Did you notice the green words in this newsletter? These are vocabulary words that may be new to you. Below you can find each word with its definition.

Co-exist: To live peacefully in the same area together.
Enclosure: A large outdoor area that is completely fenced in.
Guardian: A person who is responsible for the care and protection of another living being.
Habitat: The natural environment where an animal lives.
Microchip: A tiny computerized chip the size of a grain of rice that is inserted under the skin of the animal. It's another form of identification.
Solitary: Liking to be alone most of the time.
Veterinarian: An animal doctor.
Wildlife Rehabilitator: A person who has the education, skills, and permits to take care of injured and orphaned wildlife.

Want more ideas? Check out PAWSkids.org!

Kids Helping Animals is published by the Humane Education Program of the Progressive Animal Welfare Society (PAWS). A Northwest leader in protecting animals since 1967, PAWS shelters homeless animals, rehabilitates injured and orphaned wildlife, and empowers people to demonstrate compassion and respect for animals in their daily lives.