Critter Kiddz Camp Kicks Off with Saints Two St. Bernards Provide Smiles and Education
Jurupa Valley, CA – Critter Kiddz Camp kicked off Monday (July 9) with visits from two beautiful St. Bernard dogs and campers also participated in other animal-related activities.
The two-week summer camp is part of an education program at Riverside County’s Western Riverside County/City Animal Shelter in Jurupa Valley.
The camp is coordinated by the Animal Solutions Konnection (ASK) Foundation, a nonprofit organization working toward assisting homeless pets and programs within the county’s shelters.
Mary Henry and Kaylene Mikulski, two long-time educators, are the instructors for Critter Kiddz Camp. They are using arts-and-crafts programs and education components that give children knowledge about various animals.
This week’s theme is all about working animals, hence the special visit by St. Bernard buddies, Luther, a 16-monthold, Emma, a 14-month-old. St. Bernards are famous for their rescue efforts in the St. Bernard Pass between Italy and Switzerland.
Today’s campers learned about the breed’s history for heroic rescues after finding snow-buried travelers that had become victims in major storms or avalanches. The dogs are known for digging through snow and providing warmth to people while a second dog would charge back to a nearby hospice to alert rescuers.
This week’s activities continued today with a miniature cow and goat, a visit from Guide Dogs of the Desert (July 11), a team of border collies showing off their herding skills (July 12) and the amazing work provided by explosive detection dogs (July 13).
Next week’s theme is Fast & Furious, Slinky & Slow. The week includes a visit from a tortoise and a rabbit (July 16), reptiles day (July 17), a special presentation by Wild Wonders (July 18) that will include a fennec fox, honey bear, armadillo and an anteater. On July 19 a miniature horse and a miniature donkey (tentative), both therapy animals, visit the campers. The camp wraps up with a presentation about the shelter’s cats, including the felines that have been designated as “working cats.”
Week 1 is already booked, but some spots are open for next week. Cost is $100. Information link: https://www.rcdas.org/index.php/component/k2/item/328-critter-kiddz-camp-2018
