Dogs took over the Long Island Children’s Museum on April 7 as North Shore Animal League America came for a one-day pet adoption event.
“The kids have been wanting to [get a dog] for a long time, and I’ve been waiting for the right moment and there was just one particular dog that once I saw him, we decided to get him,” David Morales from Lindenhurst, who adopted 12-week-old male terrier mix Cocoa, said.
With four hands-on activity stations that taught children about rescuing, nurturing and adopting, as well as the mission of North Shore Animal League. The event tied into the museum’s “Emotions at Play with Pixar’s Inside Out” exhibit. Each child received a passport where they could get a sticker for each activity they completed.
“Our mission is to rescue, nurture, adopt and educate and this curriculum brings all of that to life for the kids,” Jayne Vitale, director of education and youth programs, said. “We’re teaching social-emotional learning through the lens of animal rescue.”
One activity gave children an inside look at how the Animal League rescues dogs and cats from across the country, using a map of the United States to trace where animals came from and how far they traveled to New York.
Another station focused on grooming and veterinary care. Using plush animals and toy tools, children practiced giving checkups and haircuts.
A third activity explored the emotions behind adopting a pet, with children coloring headbands labeled with feelings such as excitement.
The final activity allowed children to spin a wheel and match it to an animal’s emotion.
“Kids can put themselves in the pet’s perspective and understand what that animal is going through,” Kacey Maher, manager of education and youth programs at North Shore Animal League America, said.
This was the first time the Animal League brought one of its seven mobile units to turn the event into an adoption event.
“When you adopt an animal, you’re not saving one life, but two: the animal you take home and then you open space for the organization to rescue,” Vitale said.
The organization, which rescues animals from across the country weekly and often houses hundreds at a time, works with shelter partners across the nation to make sure the animals are getting adopted.
By the end of the day, five dogs were adopted: Cocoa, Cobey, Wisteria, Wallace and Mystic.
“We didn’t even know there were going to be dogs – that was a surprise,” Jaime Lear from Speonk said. “My kids have been asking for a puppy for a year, so this is really great for them.”
The Morales family said adoption was an easy choice for their family once they met the right dog during the event.
“A lot of these dogs need a home,” David Morales said. “It feels like it’s more of a good feeling to be able to adopt a dog and save them as opposed to just buying one.”
The partnership between North Shore Animal League and the Long Island Children’s Museum was able to combine education and adoption, giving families a chance to connect with dogs while learning about the importance of animal rescue efforts and the responsibility that comes with pet ownership.
