I want to explore : For Parents
Just for Parents:
- Host a Birthday Party
- Animal Adventures Day Camp
- Volunteer Opportunities
- Foster an Animal
- Additional Ideas
Birthday Parties At The Seattle Humane Society
Planning a birthday party for the animal lover in your family? Our birthday party program is the perfect match for children who love pets. During the party kids meet some furry friends then play a game of Let’s Pretend where they “adopt” a stuffed animal, complete with collar and ID tags, which they get to take home. The group then goes on a guided tour of the shelter. The birthday family brings the cake, food and gifts, we provide the entertainment and educational experience! All activities are customized to meet the developmental needs of the age group attending. The cost is $150.00 for up to 15 children. To schedule a birthday party, send an email to birthdays@seattlehumane.org or call the education office at (425) 649-7553 and be sure to request dates at least two to three weeks in advance.
Charitable birthday celebrations are popular today as a way to help children understand the power of giving at a young age. If you would like to collect donations of pet food and/or shelter supplies in conjunction with your child’s birthday party we recommend that you suggest donations on your party invitation, include a copy of our Wish List, and request that guests to bring donations to the party. All donations are made in the name of the honored birthday guest and your child will receive a certificate and a thank you card in the mail.
Animal Adventures Day Camp
What is that dog trying to tell me? How smart are rats? How can I help animals? Kids can find out the answers to these questions and more at the Seattle Humane Society’s Day Camp! This summer, kids can investigate the world of companion animals in a fun-filled series of hands-on games, experiential lessons, guest speakers, and service learning. Each day of the week they’ll meet different critters, learn about all types of pets, work with shelter animals and understand the importance of compassion for our animal friends through service projects at the shelter. 
Animal Adventures Day Camp nurtures a sense of compassion and respect for companion animals and all living beings through enriching activities, educational curriculum and hands on experiences that are fun and rewarding for kids and animals! While some camp activities include hands on interaction with animals it is important that young people have a safe and fun experience with companion animals. Animal interactions will be highly structured and supervised and will often include pets that have been behavior tested to enjoy interaction with children, or have been approved through our visiting pet friends program. Each session is limited to 18 campers
Day Camp Schedule for Summer 2008
Week # Dates Age Group Times Cost*
Week 1 July 7-11 5-7 9:00 – 12:00 125.00*
Week 2 FULL July 14-18 8-10 9:00 – 3:00 150.00*
Week 3 FULL July 21-25 10-12 9:00 – 3:00 150.00*
Week 4 August 4-8 5-7 9:00 – 12:00 125.00*
Week 5 FULL August 11-15 8-10 9:00 – 3:00 150.00*
Week 6 FULL August 18-22 10-12 9:00 – 3:00 150.00*
Registration for Day Camp will begin on April 1st. Click here for PDF copy of camp registration form. Camp registration will be accepted beginning on April 1st by phone with a credit card, by mail, or by drop in to the shelter between 9:00 to 5:00 on business days. Mail registration forms to 13212 SE Eastgate Way, Bellevue, WA 98005 and write “Attention: Day Camp Registration” on the envelope. For more information call the education department at (425) 649-7553.
Parents: Become A Humane Education Volunteer!
As Albert Schweitzer said, “Until he extends his circle of compassion to include all living things, man will not himself find peace." Research has shown that through contact with animals, children develop compassion and empathy for animals and for each other as well as a reverence for all life.
Help us sow seeds of compassion in the world through becoming a volunteer for our humane education programs. We provide plenty of training and support in a fun and lively atmosphere. Volunteers are partnered with at least one other Humane Society volunteer. To become a Seattle Humane Society volunteer send an email to volunteers@seattlehumane.org and be sure to let them know that you are interested in volunteering with the Humane Education Department.
Current Humane Education Volunteer Opportunities:
• Be a shelter tour guide
• Come to the shelter during the school day to help facilitate field trips visiting the shelter
• Become part of our Birthday party facilitation team
• Take a week or two this summer to help with Animal Adventures Day Camp
• Assist Thursdays after school with our Humane Teen Program
• Become part of our Max Mobile team and present to classrooms and schools
• Become a service learning mentor and coach classrooms, or individual kids to plan and implement school service projects, such as pet food drives or fund raisers.
• Get your pet certified with our Visiting Pet Friends Program and participate with your therapy animal in the various Humane Education programs
Open Your Home To A Foster Cat
If you are looking for a way for your animal loving child to fulfill a school service-learning requirement, consider fostering a cat. Fostering helps the Seattle Humane save even more lives; all you need is a spare room and some spare time. The commitment is from two to eight weeks. Taking a cat for even a short time:
• Gives long timer cats a well deserved break from the shelter environment
• Helps cats recover from colds in a more supportive and stress free environment
• Opens up space for the never ending stream of new cats
We will credit your son or daughter with 3 service hours for each day of fostering. Bring school paperwork to the shelter and your foster coordinator will sign off.
If you are interested in fostering a cat, get started by emailing our volunteer department at volunteers@seattlehumane.org Include all of your contact information and be sure to put “ Cat Fostering” in the subject line of your email. Once the Seattle Humane Society Cat Foster Coordinator contacts you, you will come in with your child to receive training on how to provide the care your cat needs. The Humane Society is able to provide you with a litter box, cat litter, cat food, medications if necessary and other needed supplies.
Other Ways Your Child Can Help The Animals
In order to work hands-on with shelter animals kids need to be enrolled in the Humane Teen Club, come to Animal Adventures Day Camp, or be 18 years of age. But there of plenty of ways your child can help shelter animals and earn service hours. Many children organize pet food drives, towel and blanket collections, or fundraisers for the shelter in their neighborhoods or schools. Click here to see a complete list of projects that kids and teens do to help shelter animals!
In order for your child to receive credit for community service hours, have him/her bring in the donations along with a few photographs to document the project, and someone at the shelter will sign off on their community service hours. Click here to print a Seattle Humane Society community service time log.