Humane Education

We believe that educating younger generations is the key to ensuring better lives for animals in the future.

Expand one of the following sections to learn more about our programs.

About

Humane Education sessions are offered for free to schools and community groups for K-12.

In-person visits are only offered to locations within a 20-mile radius of The Humane Society of Utah. All schools outside of this radius can still participate in a virtual session.

Presentation Options

Introduction & Dog Safety

Our first session will cover topics like what an animal shelter is, how The Humane Society helps animals, proper pet care, and why shelters are important for our communities. This introductory visit often includes an education-trained canine visitor and covers dog safety as well.

*Having a dog visitor will depend on our availability as well as district regulations

Companion Animal Care

Invite our team to visit multiple times throughout the year to teach more in-depth about our companion animals! From the animal’s wild habitat to what it’s like having one as a pet, these presentations are sure to inspire young minds and encourage responsibility.

Core Curriculum

Looking to add excitement to the CORE curriculum? We have the following presentations that were created to enhance various science and health education learning standards: adaptations, animal senses, animal welfare, basic needs, body language, and empathy.

Scheduling

To schedule a Humane Education Presentation, please follow this link, scroll down to “Send Us A Message” and select Humane Education.

Things to know:

  • Visits generally last 30 minutes
  • An animal visitor will accompany our human team
  • Scheduling takes place Monday 10am-1pm (virtual only), Tuesday-Thursday 9am-4pm, and Friday 9am-1pm
  • The school year fills up fast, so contact us with your preferred dates asap!

Join us at the Humane Society of Utah to complete a badge step!

While the Humane Society does not have a dedicated year-round* program in place to achieve a pet or service-related badge, individual scout groups are welcome to schedule a time with our education team to learn about the Humane Society and take a tour of our adoptable animals.

At this time, we can only schedule tours at our facility Tuesday-Thursday 10am-5pm (4pm latest start time), and Friday 10am-1pm. The largest group we can host is 15.

If you are interested in scheduling a presentation at our location, please Contact Humane Education

*Twice a year the Humane Society partners with Girl Scouts of Utah to host a Pet Badge event available to Brownies. Information on this can be found here closer to the event date or on the GSU website

Click here to view more information about our youth camps!

Whether you’re looking to become a pet owner for the first time or are looking to brush up on your pet care knowledge, the Humane Society’s Pet Care Course aims to give you a brief but comprehensive overview of pet ownership. Ready to learn? Watch the video below!

Test your new knowledge with the Pet Care Course Quiz, found here!

Thank you for your interest in getting your family involved in supporting Utah’s homeless pets. Due to the nature of our work here, our volunteer program minimum age is 12 years old (supervised by an adult), but that doesn’t mean that our younger supporters can’t get involved. Here are some ideas that you can do as a family to help the animals at Utah Humane:

  • Read to cats – bring in a few of your favorite books and spend some time reading to the cats in our colony rooms. This is great socialization for our cats, especially the shy ones. Please check in with our Adoptions staff when you arrive to read to the cats. Kitty City is open to the public every day, 10-7. Please note: kids under 16 must be supervised by an adult while reading to the cats.
  • Organize a donation drive – work together as a family to organize a food/donation drive. Because we are a local, private nonprofit 501(c)3 organization, we rely on the generosity of our community to help provide the daily supplies we need to operate our facility and care for the thousands of homeless animals we receive each year. You can organize a donation drive to help us gather the supplies used every day here at the shelter. View our Donation Wish List to give you an idea of the types of supplies that can help.
  • DIY treats and toys – make healthy treats in your own home to share with the adoptable animals. Here are some recipes to get you started.

Any questions about the following programs can be directed to our Humane Education Team at 801-261-2919 ext. 234 or send us a message.