Teaching children early about animals and pet care is essential
(Left) Eleven-year-old Everly B.’s hot cocoa stand helped raise critical funds for animals affected by the Eaton fire. (Middle) Students from Oneonta Montessori School in Alhambra stopped by the shelter earlier this month to drop off donations. (Right) Pasadena Humane staff with hand-drawn cards sent by students from John F. Kennedy Elementary School in New Jersey.
One of the things that has stood out to me most in the wake of the Eaton fire is the generosity of animal lovers worldwide. So many people have reached out to send their well wishes and offer us support during these trying times.
It’s not just adults who care deeply about animals; it’s children, too.
In the past few months, we’ve seen countless news stories and social media posts about kids who genuinely want to help animals impacted by the wildfires and are taking action.
Children from all over the country have been rallying to support our efforts. Within the first couple of weeks after the fire, care packages and hand-drawn letters with artwork and words of encouragement for our staff and volunteers started arriving.
Kids got creative, starting community fundraisers to help raise money for the animals.
Eleven-year-old Everly B. had the idea to open a hot cocoa stand in her Orange County neighborhood park. Her friends and community members showed up in droves, and Everly and her neighbors helped raise an incredible $1,850 for the animals.
“Our daughter came up with this idea on her own, and we are beyond proud of her passion, dedication, and love she has for making a difference in the lives of animals,” her mom Krista shared with us. “Seeing our community come together to support her mission was nothing short of incredible.”
Whole classrooms have rallied behind our efforts to help animals affected by the fires. Take Allie McKahan’s second-grade class at Stevenson Elementary School in Ohio. Her students suggested helping support pets affected by the LA wildfires. They made artwork depicting the impacts from the fires and asked for donations to help people and animals affected.
Amazingly, the support continues to pour in. Earlier this month, students from Oneonta Montessori School in Alhambra stopped by to drop off donations they raised for the animals through snack sales, doing household chores, and recycling. They also brought adorable artwork with messages of encouragement for the animals up for adoption.
Signs reading “Adopting me means gaining a family member” and “Let me leave a paw print on your heart” now hang from the kennels of some of our lucky adoptable dogs.
Teaching kids about animals and responsible pet care helps build a more compassionate community. Children who learn about animals’ needs develop a deeper understanding of how to treat both animals and people with respect.
That’s why humane education has been part of Pasadena Humane’s mission since our founding over 120 years ago. Through our engaging after-school clubs, camps, in-classroom visits, and scout programs, children and adolescents learn the importance of proper pet care, adoption, and the benefits of spaying and neutering. These programs encourage young people to get involved by volunteering at the shelter or participating in other educational activities.
Our programs show kids how to engage directly with animal welfare, which encourages them to take responsibility and become lifelong advocates for animals. This education not only shapes their future decisions as pet owners but also inspires others, creating a ripple effect of compassion and care.
As children learn about the impact they can have on the lives of animals, they also grow in their ability to show compassion toward others, creating a society where both animals and people are treated with respect and understanding.
This April, we invite kids ages 7 to 11 to our new Paws & Claws Spring Camp. In the three-day camp, kids will explore the wonders of local wildlife while connecting with shelter animals. Of course, our ever-popular summer camp is back this year with programming for kids and teens.
Our kids’ camps are now open for enrollment at pasadenahumane.org/kids
Chris Ramon is interim president and CEO of Pasadena Humane. pasadenahumane.org
This blog post originally appeared as a column in the Pasadena Star-News on March 21, 2025.
