DuPage County Animal Care & Control’s

Pet Care & Safety Patch Program

Leader’s Guide

Brownie/ Cub Scout Level Requirements

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DuPage County Animal Care & Control’s

Pet Care & Safety Patch Program Description DuPage County’s Pet Care & Safety Patch Program consists of three levels: Daisy, Brownie/Cub

Scout, and Junior Girl Scout/Boy Scout. At each level, the scouts participate in a variety of age-

appropriate activities designed to teach her or him about interacting safely and responsibly

with pets. All activities can be done at home or during troop meetings.

The last activity the troop will do is visit DuPage County Animal Care & Control for a tour

(please schedule a month in advance). To schedule a tour, the troop leader should contact

Humane Educator Andy at 630-407-2808 or Andrea.Salis@dupageco.org. Tours require a $25

donation and are offered Monday-Friday only. Waivers (see page 26) must be signed by parents

for each child participating, all adults present for the tour must also sign a waiver.

In order for the scouts to earn the Pet Care & Safety Patch the following must occur:

The scouts must complete all required activities prior to the tour date.

The scouts must come to the tour prepared to talk and answer questions about the

activities they did.

Leaders- Please review the following with your troop before introducing the activities:

What is DuPage County Animal Care & Control?

DuPage County Animal Care & Control is an open-admission animal shelter that accepts all

domestic animals. The staff of DCACC takes excellent care of all dogs, cats, and small animals in

their care and works very hard to find them new families to adopt them and give them a loving,

life-long home. DCACC also works to prevent and control rabies and to enforce state and

county animal control and welfare laws, and to teach responsible pet ownership.

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What is the difference between a domestic and a wild animal?

Domestic Wild

Lives in houses or on farms Lives in nature

Bred to help humans Not used to being around people

Requires a human to care for it Cares for itself (food, water, shelter, etc)

How do animals come to DuPage County Animal Care & Control?

Stray

o About 45% of animals at DCACC come in as strays

o Strays are checked for microchips (will be shown during the tour)

o Strays are held for 7 days to give an owner time to reclaim

o At the end of 7 days the animal can be evaluated for adoption

Owner Surrender

o 55% of animals at DCACC come in as owner surrenders

o After a behavioral assessment and veterinary exam they may be placed up for

adoption

Why might someone need to surrender (give up) their pet (have scouts come up with some

answers)?

Moving

Allergies

Landlord won’t allow

Cost of pet care

Too many pets

Behavior/lack of training

New baby

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DuPage County Animal Care & Control’s Pet Care & Safety Patch

Brownie/Cub Scout Level

Scouts must complete the activities listed below, as well as visit DuPage County Animal Care &

Control for a tour (please schedule one month in advance). Tours are offered Monday-Friday

and require $25 donation. DCACC iron on patches can be purchased for $2 a scout. Please

contact Andy Salis, Humane Educator and Special Events Coordinator, at 630-407-2808 or

Andrea.Salis@dupageco.org to schedule a tour.

Activity 1- What do pet’s need to be healthy/happy?

Understanding what your pet needs to be healthy/happy is the first step to becoming a

responsible pet owner. This exercise will allow children to understand the needs of their pets

and understand the commitment needed to be a responsible pet owner.

Start a discussion with your troop, have them identify the things that pets need/want to

stay healthy and happy. List the items they identify on a white/chalk board.

o Food

o Water

o Medical care

o Clothing

o Shelter

o Entertainment

o Exercise

o Grooming/bathing

o Love

o Friendship

Have each child make a “Doggy Bag” by following the instructions on pages 6-8.

Fill the “Doggy Bag” with items that are needed to keep a pet healthy and happy.

When the “Doggy Bag” is complete each child can take the bag home and share it with

their friends and family by having them pick an item out of the bag and having them

guess what pets need from the picture represented

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Activity 2- Feeding Your Pet a Healthy Diet

What kind of food is best for your dog or cat? Dog or cat food! Even though our animals love

tasty snacks from our plates it is generally not a good idea for them to eat people food. Some of

the things that people eat can be poisonous to dogs and cats. On page 9, list six things that you

should never feed to a dog.

As a troop or as individuals have children reach out to a local veterinary clinic (by phone

or email) and ask a veterinarian why dogs and cats should not eat people food.

Have scouts do an online search for “foods that are toxic to pets”

Using the information they find complete the list on page 9.

Activity 3- How Should We Behave Around Animals?

An exercise designed to teach children the right way to behave around their pets at home. Find

out when it is okay to play and when it is best to leave your pet alone.

During a troop meeting have children be actors/actresses and act out scenarios on

pages 10-12 with their troop mates.

Discuss with your troop when it is safe/unsafe to approach a pet at home

Activity 4- Understanding Animal Body Language

Animals cannot tell us with words how they are feeling, instead they have to use their bodies.

Being able to read a dog or cat’s body language is important so that we may interact with them

in a safe and friendly manner.

Pass out the attached dog and cat body language sheets (see pages 13-14).

Review dog and cat body language with your troop.

Show your troop pictures of cats and dogs (see page 15-19) and have them decide how

that animal is feeling and if it is okay to approach or if it should be left alone.

o Pg 15- Friendly dog: tail relaxed, open/smiling mouth, relaxed ears and body

position

o Pg. 16- Frightened/upset cat: tense body, hackles raised, body arched, tail down

and fluffed

o Pg. 17- Scared dog: hunched posture, looking away, flattened ears, tail curled

under body

o Pg. 18- Angry dog: flat ears, tense posture, wrinkled brow, teeth bared

o Pg 19. Friendly cat: tail up w/ tip pointed, forward ears, relaxed body position

Complete worksheet (see page 20), have scouts match the appropriate words with each

dog, they can color in the dogs on the worksheet.

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Activity 5- Staying Safe Around Neighborhood Dogs

How can you stay safe around dogs in your neighborhood? Take a look at the Pet Safety in Your

Neighborhood” coloring sheet (page 21). (Make a copy for each troop member). Here there are

some examples of smart ways to be around dogs you don’t know, and there are some examples

of not-so-smart ways to interact with strange dogs.

Talk about the picture with your troop.

Draw an “S” in the boxes near all of the people you think are being safe. Draw a “U” in

the boxes near the people you see that should not be doing what they are doing

(answers on page 22).

As a group, talk about how the unsafe people could become safer.

Activity 6- Amazing Animals!

We are lucky to have dogs and cats in our lives because they are amazing animals! As a troop,

read the AMAZING dog and cat facts on pages 23 & 24 to learn more about them.

Pass out fact sheets to each troop member.

Have them take turns reading some of the amazing animal facts.

Troop members can share fun facts about their own pets.

Activity 7- Things We

You may be surprised to realize how much we have in common with our pets! We need many

of the same things to stay healthy and happy! Complete the activity sheet on page 25 and talk

about it with your troop.

Pass out the worksheet on page 25 to your troop. Have them complete at home or

during a meeting.

Review with your troop the common things that they and their animals need to be

healthy/happy.

Ask troop how they can make sure their pets get everything that they need.

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Doggy Bag

Materials needed:

Brown paper lunch bag, construction paper, glue, scissors, markers or crayons

Instructions:

Cut out parts of pattern below

Trace pattern pieces onto construction paper and cut them out.

Glue pieces onto the paper lunch bag.

Use markers, crayons, or any craft items you wish to decorate your bag.

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Doggy Bag

Color and cut out each item below. Place items that are needed to keep a pet healthy and

happy into your completed Doggy Bag.

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Doggy Bag

Color and cut out each item below. Place items that are needed to keep a pet healthy and

happy into your completed Doggy Bag.

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Six foods I promise to never feed to my dog…

1. ________________________________________________

2. ________________________________________________

3. ________________________________________________

4. ________________________________________________

5. ________________________________________________

6. ________________________________________________

Did you know… one of the most common ways that pets are poisoned is when

people give them medicine meant for humans? Medicine such as acetaminophen

(like Tylenol), ibuprofen (like Advil), and NSAIDS (like aspirin or Aleve) are safe for

people but can make a dog or cat very sick!

Go to: http://www.aspca.org/pet-care/poision-control/ and find the phone

number for the ASPCA’s Animal Poison Control Center.

Write the phone number here:

__________-__________-__________

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How Should We Behave Around Animals? Members of the troop should take turns acting out the scenarios below.

Activity # 1: A Cat Runs and Hides

1. Scenario #1

Cat: Is walking around the house

Child #1: Sees cat and chases him/her

Cat: Hisses, runs into corner and hides

Child #1: Continues to approach cat

Cat: Pretends to scratch child

Ask audience: Was this the right or wrong thing for the child to do? How do you think the cat

felt? Explain that an animal may bite or scratch when they are scared or when they feel

cornered. The best thing we can do is respect how they feel and leave them alone if that’s what

they want.

2. Scenario # 2

Cat: Is walking around the house

Child #2: Approaches cat slowly, holding her hand out

Cat: Sniffs hand, then rubs against the child. The cat walks away.

Child #2: The child says, “Looks like she’s had enough” and walks away

Ask audience: Was this the right or the wrong thing for the child to do? How do you think the

cat felt? The child did the right thing. Just like us, sometimes animals like to be left alone.

Maybe the cat just wanted to be by herself. It shows kindness and compassion to respect an

animal’s feelings.

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Activity #2: A Dog is Eating His Food

1. Scenario #1 Dog: The dog is eating her food. Child #1: Walks over to the eating dog and playfully pretends to take the food away. Dog: The dog growls angrily at the child.

Ask the audience: Was this the right or the wrong thing to do? Why do you think the dog reacted that way? Explain the dogs like to protect things. What does protect mean? It means that you keep something safe. What else might a dog protect? Her puppies, toys, owner, home, yard, a bone, etc. Does this make the dog mean? NO! It is normal dog behavior. We have to respect that.

2. Scenario #2 Dog: The dog is eating her food. Child #1: The child notices the dog, but keeps on walking. Dog: The dog looks at the child but continues to eat.

Ask the audience: Was this the right or the wrong thing for the child to do? The best thing to do if you see your dog protecting something is to leave her alone. A dog, even your own dog, may bite is she thinks you are trying to take something valuable away from her. The smart thing to do is keep walking!

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Activity #3: A Cat is Sleeping:

1. Scenario #1

Cat: The cat is sleeping soundly, curled up in a ball on the floor.

Child #1: Walks over to the cat and puts her hand on the cat’s side shaking the cat,

waking her suddenly.

Cat: The cat jumps up, hisses, and arches her back. She lets out a loud g-r-r-r-r-r-o-w-l.

Ask the audience: Was this the right or the wrong thing for the child to do? Just like us, dogs

and cats sleep and dream. If an animal is peacefully asleep and then is suddenly woken up, the

animal might be confused and scared, and they might not recognize you right away. There is a

chance that they might bite or scratch.

2. Scenario #2

Cat: The cat is sleeping soundly, curled up in a ball on the couch.

Child #2: The child, in another room, decides to play with the cat. She walks into the

room and sees the cat sleeping on the couch. The child says to herself, “I would really

like to play with Kitty right now, but I can see that she is sleeping. I will come back later.”

Ask the audience: Was this the right of the wrong thing for the child to do? Learning about

natural behaviors of our dog and cat friends will allow us to stay safe around them and to

appreciate them more. They will appreciate us more too!

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Dog Bites Dos and Don’t

Dog bites can be avoided

when people behave safely

around dogs and pet owners

act responsibly.

Look at this picture. Write an

“S” in the box next to each

example of someone behaving

safely and responsibly with a

dog. Write a “U” in the box

next to each example that

shows unsafe behavior around

a dog.

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Dog Bites Dos and Don’ts Answer Key Did you recognize which examples in the picture showed someone behaving safely and

responsibly with a dog? Were you able to spot examples of unsafe behavior? Check your

answers here.

Safe, Responsible Behavior(S)

Always walk your dog on a leash. And, keep your cats indoors where they are safe from

traffic and other animals.

Before petting someone else’s dog (or cat), ask the owner for permission. After getting

permission to pet the dog, always let the dog sniff the back of your hand before petting

him.

When a dog approaches you, stand still and quiet like a tree. Keep your hands at your

side.

When you are not walking your dog, keep him or her indoors with you, or in a fenced

yard when he is getting some fresh air. Spend time playing with and caring your pets

each day.

Unsafe Behavior (U)

Don’t approach a dog (or cat) while he or she is eating, sleeping, or guarding something.

Pets naturally guard their food, their babies, and their toys. Dogs also protect their

owners, as well as the property that belongs to their owners, such as the owner’s home,

yard, or car.

Don’t try to pull a toy, a stick, or any item from a dog’s mouth.

Don’t run away from a dog that is chasing you. A dog’s natural instinct is to chase and

catch someone who is running away. If you stand still, the dog will most likely stop, sniff

you, and leave you alone when he or she realizes you are not a threat. Also, do not

chase or tease dogs or cats, and avoid petting or picking up strange pets.

Don’t approach a dog (or any other animal) that is injured. Instead, tell an dult about the

animal.

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Your AMAZING Dog!!!

As a troop, take turns reading each of the amazing dog facts. If you have a dog, tell your troop

members one thing about your dog that makes him/her special and unique. If you don’t have a

dog, tell your troop members what you like or admire about dogs.

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Your AMAZING Cat!!!

As a troop, take turns reading each of the amazing cat facts. If you have a cat, tell your troop

members one thing about your cat that makes him/her special and unique. If you don’t have a

cat, tell your troop members what you like or admire about cats.

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Things We Need in Common With Our Pets! You may be surprised to realize just how much we have in common with our pets. We need

many of the same things! Below is a list of NEEDS. Place an “X” in the box under ME if the need

is something you require. Place an “X” in the box under MY PETS if the need is something a pet

requires. How many of these NEEDS do we share with our pets?

Can YOU make sure your pets get all of the things they need?

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