What happens when you bring a group of curious kids together with donkeys, horses, pigs, alpacas, reptiles, hunting dogs, service dogs, deputy K-9s and other amazing animals?
You get a week full of learning, hands-on experiences, and plenty of new animal-loving friends.
This summer, Goochland Pet Lovers partnered with Goochland County Parks & Recreation for our second annual Animal Camp, held July 13–17 at the Central High School Cultural and Educational Complex. The camp builds on the lessons of our Teaching Kindness education program, giving local children the opportunity to learn not only about animals, but also about the many important roles they play in our lives.
Throughout the week, campers met animals and the people who care for, train and work alongside them. Each day offered a different opportunity to see animals from a new perspective and learn how we can treat them with kindness, compassion and respect.
Monday: Working Animals and Unusual Animal Friends
The first day of Animal Camp introduced campers to a variety of animals and the ways they interact with people.
Josh Vaden shared his knowledge of hunting dogs, giving campers an opportunity to learn about their training, instincts and the important partnership between dogs and their handlers.
Campers also had the chance to spend time with Poppy the pig and Ginny the alpaca through Swine Knot, presented by Holly Torres. Their visit offered a fun opportunity to learn more about these animals, their individual personalities and what it takes to care for them.
From hunting dogs to farm animals, the first day encouraged campers to look beyond the animals they may know as pets and appreciate the many different ways animals enrich our lives.
Tuesday: From Mini Donkeys to Deputy K-9s
Tuesday gave campers the chance to get up close with two very different animals and learn more about what makes each of them unique.
Liz Liverman and Kim Duncan introduced campers to Poe, a mini donkey, sharing what it takes to care for and work with these intelligent and personable animals. Campers had the opportunity to see how patience, understanding and respectful handling help build trust between people and animals.
Later, Deputy Melvin Dolan of the Goochland County Sheriff’s Office arrived with Liberty, a bloodhound. Campers learned about the important role law enforcement K-9s play and the close partnership between a working dog and their handler.
From Poe’s gentle presence to Liberty’s impressive working abilities, Tuesday showed campers that animals can have an important place in our communities in many different ways.
Wednesday: Reptiles and Service Dogs
Wednesday offered campers the opportunity to learn about animals that look and behave very differently from the pets they may know at home.
Jake and Elizabeth from My Three Chambered Hearts introduced campers to reptiles and helped them learn more about these fascinating animals. Encounters like this can help children replace fear or uncertainty with curiosity and understanding, while teaching them to appreciate animals for who they are and what they need to thrive.
Campers also met Tom Newton and Sherie Bors-Koefoed from Canine Companions, along with therapy dogs Lina, Lattice, and Spector. The team explained what therapy dogs do and the ways they provide affection, comfort, and support to people in places such as hospitals, nursing homes, schools, and other settings.
They also taught campers about the important difference between therapy dogs and service dogs. While both can make an incredible difference in people’s lives, they have different roles and are trained to meet different needs.
Wednesday gave campers another opportunity to see how understanding animals and their unique abilities can help us build stronger, more compassionate relationships with them.
Thursday: Ponies and Wildlife
Thursday brought another group of four-legged friends to camp when the James River Hunt Club introduced campers to ponies Freckles and Soldier. Julie, Jordan, and Harper shared their experiences with the ponies and helped campers learn more about horses and the people who work with them.
The day also expanded the conversation beyond the animals we keep and work with every day.
Joe Ferdinandson from the Virginia Department of Wildlife Resources talked with campers about wildlife and conservation. Learning about wildlife conservation helped connect the dots between caring for individual animals and protecting the larger ecosystems and habitats that allow wildlife to thrive.
It was an important reminder that kindness toward animals extends beyond our pets. It also means respecting wildlife and doing our part to protect the natural world they depend on.
Friday: Caring for Animals from Shelter to Home
Camp wrapped up with a look at two important parts of animal care: finding animals their forever homes and keeping pets healthy throughout their lives.
Erin Baker and Abigail Cordova from the Goochland County Animal Shelter and Adoption Center spoke with campers about the work involved in caring for shelter animals and helping them find loving homes. Their visit helped children understand that shelters are much more than places where animals stay. They are an important part of the community and work every day to give animals a second chance.
To close out the week, Dr. Erica Ditzler and Dr. Lori Elliott joined campers with Hattie to talk about veterinary care and what it takes to keep pets healthy, happy and safe.
Ending the week with our veterinary team brought many of the lessons from camp full circle. Being a responsible pet owner means understanding an animal’s needs, recognizing when something may be wrong, and making sure they receive the care they need throughout their lives.
Lessons That Last
Animal Camp is about much more than getting to meet cool animals.
Every encounter throughout the week gave campers another opportunity to build empathy, ask questions, and better understand the animals around them. They learned that animals have individual needs and personalities. They saw the many different ways animals contribute to our families and communities. And they learned that kindness means treating animals with patience, respect, and compassion.
Those lessons are at the heart of Goochland Pet Lovers’ Teaching Kindness program, and Animal Camp gives us an opportunity to bring those lessons to life through experiences children can see, touch, and remember.
We are incredibly grateful to all of the presenters, animal handlers, volunteers, and Goochland County Parks & Recreation staff who helped make this year’s camp possible. From working dogs and service animals to farm animals, reptiles, ponies and wildlife experts, every presenter helped campers see the animal world from a different perspective.
Most of all, we hope the campers left with more than great memories and plenty of photos. We hope they left with a deeper understanding of animals, a greater sense of compassion, and a reminder that kindness can make a difference in the lives of every animal they encounter.
We can’t wait to see where their love of animals takes them next.
