This summer, students selected for the Animal Adaptive Therapy program organized a donation drive and coin collection supporting Mount Pleasant Animal Shelter, a local shelter located in East Hanover, NJ.  The students learned about animal shelters, rescues, what goes into running a shelter, and supplies needed to care for the animals until they get adopted.  Cali, Cleo, and Sage attended the AAT sessions, where the students had the opportunity to interact with the dogs while they were not “on duty.” It’s safe to say the dogs enjoyed the program just as much as the kids!

“I really enjoyed learning about the dogs and getting to know them better.” said Dylan.

He explained that he enjoyed seeing how their personalities change when they go from “work mode” with their vests on to “off-duty” when the vest comes off.

Students learned about different dog breeds, and how to determine if a specific breed might be a good fit for their lifestyle and their family.  They each completed a mock adoption application, as if they were going through the dog-adoption process themselves, and the results were surprising.

In looking at their own lifestyles and personalities, several students discovered that they may not be a good fit for a dog they had originally pictured themselves owning one day.  They were able to do some research and find a dog with a personality that might be better equipped for their lifestyle and interests.

CJ said,

“I learned that having a dog isn’t only about fun.  There is a lot of work that goes into them too.  It’s also really important to match the dog to the owner’s personality.”

 

Mrs. Roerden and Mrs. Ferment also taught a lesson on breed specific rescue and included a special presentation on German Shorthaired Pointer Rescue of New Jersey, the wonderful rescue where our very own Sage was adopted from.  The students were very interested in learning the rescue story from where their buddy came from, and all the training stories that brought him to where he is today.

Darrin shared, “I liked learning with the presence of the dogs.  It made the information easier to understand, and it was helpful to see Mrs. Roerden & Mrs. Ferment show us how things are done. I also liked learning about all the different dog breeds and how to address a dog properly.

Towards the end of the ESY program, students went around from class to class and collected each homeroom’s coin collection jar.  After the students sorted and counted all the coins, the grand total of the school’s collection was $103.55!  We can’t thank our Calais community enough for the generosity and support of such a wonderful cause.  With this money, we were able to purchase a much needed Kuranda Dog Bed for the Mt. Pleasant Animal Shelter from The Calais School.

The AAT group also designed a donation box that was kept in the main entrance in the school.  The box quickly filled up with supplies donated by staff and students’ families, which the students then sorted and organized for transport to the shelter.

We collected a large supply of dog and cat food and treats, toys, paper towels, cleaning supplies, puppy putty pads, blankets, towels and dog beds.  To everyone who generously donated to our cause, thank you SO much! We couldn’t have done this without the support of our Calais family!

Thank you from the dogs and cats at the Mount Pleasant Animal Shelter as well.  Thank you for making a difference!

Sincerely,

The AAT ESY Students (AKA #PuppySquad)

Mrs. Roerden, Mrs. Ferment, Mrs. Foli, Cali, Cleo, & Sage