5^th Graders from Jersey City PS #3 came for their annual tour at Liberty Humane Society to get a first-hand look at their community shelter and to learn about the work we do to find homes for unwanted pets. Jaime Altschul, teacher at PS #3, has added Animal Care and Compassion (ACC) to her curriculum. ACC is designed to educate the children about homeless animals and the shelter system. Students learn the importance of spaying and neutering, treating animals with compassion, statistics on homeless animals, and also carry out a series of projects to benefit the shelter throughout the year.

During their tour, students saw how the shelter works to transform unwanted companion animals into beloved pets. These young activists have not only spread the importance of adopting locally, but have worked to change the way they and their community thinks about animal adoption and improving lives for pets. During the holidays and shelter adoption events, students foster awareness in the school and community by making and distributing flyers, as well as creating “Adopt-Me” posters to help shelter animals find loving homes.

Students have also started a recycling program to benefit the shelter. By reusing packaged breakfast trays, students have made it easier for our animal caretakers to feed cats. The trays are brought to the shelter on a bi-weekly basis. The relationship between the school and the shelter is a wonderful example of how the local community can take part in helping us reduce the number of homeless animals on our streets.

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