Animal Emergency Center was a volunteer presenter at Deerfield Elementary School for Novi's "Safety Town" sessions last month. AEC has been a volunteer presenter at Novi Schools "Safety Town" for each of the past 5 summers. We help teach the group of 4-6 year olds what to watch for if they see a stray dog (stand still / be quiet / cross your arms); how to approach a pet owner with their dog (ask if it is OK to pet, put your hand out for dog to sniff, pet gently on back); what to do if you see an injured dog (stay away / get an adult).
For mother dogs and puppies, dogs eating or playing with toys, or sleeping dogs we instruct not to pull ears/tails, not to poke at or pat hard, or to hug around the neck. We also talk about wildlife safety tips (don't touch / approach) and kids can ask us any questions they have about animals or share their comments before getting a chance to practice meeting a new dog (if they want to).
This year Sharon Wassmann from AEC brought her puppy "Charger" to say hello. AEC also provided the kids with coloring books and safety tips from the American Animal Hospital Association that they could take home.