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

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.

Expand one of the following sections to learn more.

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 will often include an education-trained canine visitor and will cover dog safety as well.

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

Companion Animal Care

Have our team 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 9am-1pm, Tuesday-Thursday 9am-4pm, and Friday 9am-1pm
  • The school year fills up fast, so contact us with your preferred dates asap!

Fall Camp

2023 REGISTRATION OPEN

Fall in love with companion animals by joining our humane education team for a hay-mazing day (or two) over break! We’ll play games, get crafty, and cozy up with some furry friends.

October 12th & 13th 9am-1pm, 3rd-6th grade – $60 per day

Each day will have similar schedules, but signing up for both dates is accepted.

Click here to register

Our HERO School Break Camps follow the same registration policies listed under the Summer Camp tab; please review these policies before registration.

Spring Camp

Additional information coming soon!

Take a survey regarding 2024 Spring Camp dates and times here to help us best accommodate your schedule

Tentative 2024 dates: April 1st-5th, 9am-1pm (3rd-6th grade)

2024 REGISTRATION WILL OPEN IN FEBRUARY

*Please note that registrations are accepted on a first-come, first-served basis. Due to the high volume of camp requests please make sure you only register your child for one week of camp. *

1st/2nd Grades:
June 3-7th
Time: 9am – 1pm
$250 (shirt included)

3rd/4th Grades:
June 10-14, June 24-28, or July 8-12
Time: 9am – 3pm (ends at 1pm on Friday)
$300 (shirt included)

3rd-6th Grades:

July 15-19th
Time: 9am – 3pm (ends at 1pm on Friday)
$300 (shirt included)

5th/6th Grades:
July 29-August 2 or August 5-9
Time: 9am – 3 pm (ends at 1pm on Friday)
$300 (shirt included)

-Camp dates, times, and grades are subject to change at the discretion of the Humane Education Team.

What to Expect

Each week of camp will be devoted to a different age group spanning first through sixth grade.
During a typical day at the week-long H.E.R.O. Summer Camp, children will participate in presentations, games, crafts, and more. Each day will focus on different types of animals, many with visitors – two-legged, four-legged, finned, and feathered – from other animal welfare groups in Utah. Campers will receive at minimum half an hour of animal interaction each day, which may include petting and holding.

Registration for summer camp includes access to camp photos, a t-shirt, and special animal interactions. Lunch is not provided. 

Registration Policies

Campers must have reached the minimum age by the first day of camp. The Humane Society of Utah reserves the right to cancel or alter registrations of children registered in camps that do not match their age. Campers must be toilet-trained to participate.

Due to the set curriculum and activities, requests to have different-age siblings in the same week will no longer be accommodated.

Please note that registrations are accepted on a first-come, first-served basis. Due to the high volume of camp requests, each child may only attend one week of camp.

The Humane Society of Utah is committed to providing a safe, enjoyable experience for all campers and animal guests. Whenever possible, we are happy to work with guardians to make reasonable accommodations for campers with special physical, behavioral, emotional, cognitive, or medical needs. If camp management consults with a camper and their guardians and determines that the needs of a camper cannot safely be met, the education team reserves the right to cancel their registration and provide a full refund.

The Humane Society of Utah reserves the right to cancel registration for any other reason. In the event that a registration is canceled, registrants will be notified and receive a full refund or may be allowed to transfer their registration to another session.

What to Bring

Guardians are responsible for bringing lunch and a water bottle each day of camp.

Contact us with any questions.

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

While the Humane Society does not have a dedicated 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.

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

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.