Last Saturday Girl Scout Troop 6283 visited the HSVC to learn about animals and earn their Cadette Animal Helpers Badge. They also donated supplies to our shelter animals and even spoiled our staff with girl scout cookies! 

The troop, based out of Huntington Beach, visited the shelter to learn about the many ways animals help humans and how to properly care for animals. Volunteer Coordinator Amanda Volden led the girls on a tour of the shelter and provided information on animal care, pet safety, and how animals can assist humans. 

Throughout the morning, the girls explored the connection between humans and animals. In the kitten room, the troop discussed how animals can help people emotionally. Amanda explained how many animals can be used for emotional support. These special animals aid their owners by helping to lower anxiety, alleviating loneliness, and enhancing social engagement. They can also assist in reducing pain, stress and even depression. 

In the dog kennel area, the scouts discussed the different ways animals can help keep people safe, such as the use of rescue and police animals. The group also considered the different ways animals can help people with disabilities. Dogs are the most common service animals humans use for assistance. They can perform tasks like alerting someone who is hearing impaired of a sound, avoiding obstacles for someone who is visually impaired, and even flipping on light switches for a person who lacks dexterity. 

Horses have become one of the most popular animals to use for therapeutic purposes. They are unique animals because they give immediate feedback to their handler's actions and have the ability to mirror the feelings of the handler or rider. Troop 6283 was able to get up close and personal with one of our shelter horses, Storm, to learn about how horses can help people. Volunteer Coordinator Amanda Volden (above) showed the girls how to properly greet a horse. 

The ladies of Troop 6283 finished off their visit with a donation of food, toys, and blankets to the HSVC. They even spoiled our staff by bringing their favorite boxes of Girl Scout cookies. Thank you Girl Scout Troop 6283 for visiting our shelter and caring about animals. Keep up the good work!

If interested in an educational group visit/tour, please contact the HSVC via email at [email protected] or call 805-646-6505.