EATONTOWN – At the Monmouth County SPCA, children are spending their summer learning about the responsibilities and realities of animal care through a weeklong educational experience. The organization’s Animal Rescue Summer Camp introduces participants to the world of animal rescue, wildlife protection, and humane education.
The camp is divided into two age groups: one for 6 to 9-year-olds and another for 10 to 13-year-olds. Each session runs Monday through Friday, with a total of eight sessions scheduled throughout the summer.
“They do a ton of activities that have to do with animal rescue and animal welfare,” said Abigail Gwydir, Events and Community Outreach Manager at the Monmouth County SPCA. “We have staff members from all of our different programs come in and talk to the kids about what they do.”
Presenters include the shelter’s animal control officers, humane law enforcement team, and adoption staff. “Our animal control officers talk about caring for wildlife – what to do if they find an injured baby squirrel or a fawn left alone without its mom,” she said.
Daily interaction with animals is built into the camp experience. “The kids spend time with puppies, participate in puppy yoga, and do animal-themed arts and crafts,” Gwydir said.
Campers also interact with animals they may not typically encounter. “We have two rats named Ruby and Rosie – they’re fancy rats and super friendly,” she said. “By the end of the week, most of the kids want to have pet rats. It really changed how they think about small animals.”
In addition to time with animals, campers complete projects that reinforce lessons about wildlife. “They make birdhouses that they get to take home,” she said.
According to Gwydir, the camp’s goal is to teach kids about responsible care for animals and promote long-term awareness. “We’re trying to build this generation of animal advocates that care for all animals, not just the pets that are in our homes.”
The camp also supports the shelter’s broader outreach goals. “We see a lot of animals surrendered here and we deal with a lot of cruelty,” she said. “The hope is that by teaching the kids at this age how to properly care for animals, we’ll see that impact in the future.” For more information about the Animal Rescue Summer Camp, visit monmouthcountyspca.org.
