Humane Education FAQ

Volunteers at the MSPCA must be 16 or older (with the exception of the MSPCA Summer Camp volunteer Junior Counselors, who can be 15 or older).  We are happy to sign off on volunteer hours for participation in our onsite Humane Education Programs, which are 1-2 hours in duration per session, depending on the program.  We do not sign off on volunteer hours for campers at the MSPCA Summer Camp (with the exception of Counselors in Training and Junior Counselors).

We are also happy to sign off on volunteer hours for offsite projects that children organize (bake sales, lemonade stands, donation drives, etc.).  Simply contact us at humaneeducation@mspca.org to let us know what your child has done, and how many hours their project took (this includes not only the time the event ran, but planning, shopping, baking, making signs etc.)

Unfortunately, we are unable to schedule or host private volunteering sessions at any of our locations.

MSPCA volunteers are unable to have their children accompany them on their volunteer shift, for safety and liability reasons. For parents looking for a “one day” volunteer-like experience with their child, we recommend the Family Service Day Program, which is held once a month during the school year at our Methuen location.

We are unable to host private group volunteer events, even if the group is looking to volunteer on a regular basis versus a one-time event.

Unfortunately, we are unable to host field trips or tours at our animal shelter locations.

The majority of our staff supervised hands on humane education programs for kids are held at our Methuen location (Junior Volunteer, Family Service Day, Rescue Readers, Little Bookworms, MSPCA Summer Camp), with additional reading programs held in Boston (Little Bookworms) and the Cape (Tales for Tails).

All of our hands on programs for kids are VERY popular, often selling out within an hour of registration opening, if not sooner.  We update the main landing page for the program to indicate the program has filled as soon as possible, but when you click on the registration button, the registration page will indicate in real time that the program has sold out with a red message that says, “We’re sorry, but this program has sold out”.

Kids who are 16 or older may not register for any of the humane education programs, unless they are signing up to be a volunteer Junior Counselor for the MSPCA Summer Camp (ages 15+).  Having older teens at programs that are designed for younger children can be problematic for a variety of reasons – if your teen is looking for a “short term” volunteer opportunity, we suggest investigating the volunteer Junior Counselor program, doing an off-site project, and checking out our volunteer program at each location, as some locations do allow for less of a time commitment, in terms of number of months you volunteer for, in the summer.

Generally speaking, we typically have a variety of dogs, cats, and small animals such as rabbits or guinea pigs at our shelter that the kids will be able to meet during the program.  We cannot guarantee that we will have certain types of, or ages of, animals, or that if we do, they will be appropriate to attend the children’s programing.  In order to ensure a safe and fulfilling experience for both the participants and the animals, our staff is careful to select animals that will both enjoy and be appropriate around small groups of children.

Our group programs are designed with the group in mind – meaning that for programs like Junior Volunteer or Family Service Day, the group stays together for the program.  We do not have enough staff supervision to have participants stay with/avoid certain animals when the group moves on to the next activity.  While your child does not have to touch an animal that they do not want to, they do have to be in a room with that type of animal during the program.

The MSPCA makes all reasonable accommodations for children with disabilities or impairments to attend our programs.  We have had many children successfully attend with a variety of reasons that make their situation unique.  Generally speaking, if your child is able to navigate a public-school setting without the need of a one-on-one aide, and with minor accommodations from a 504, IEP or IDEA, they will most likely be fine in our programing.  The same goes for common medical issues such as diabetes, allergies that may require medical intervention with an epi pen or inhaler, or seizures (please make staff aware that your child has a serious medical condition and bring a copy of their Emergency Action Plan for drop off programs).   Wheelchairs, casts, and crutches are all examples of fairly common things that we are able to accommodate for.

If your child requires more advanced support for cognitive or medical reasons, it is best to reach out to the Education Manager to see if the program will be able to reasonably support your child’s specific situation.  This is especially important for a drop off program, like Junior Volunteer or the summer camp, and less so for a program that the parent is attending and can provide support at, like Family Service Day, Rescue Readers, or Little Bookworms.    Having a good understanding between parents and the staff as to what your child’s needs are, and what our ability is to fill those needs, goes a long way toward avoiding a situation that is stressful and upsetting for all involved.  We do not have human medical professionals on site, therefore there are certain kinds of medical support that our staff is not qualified to handle.  If your child has medical issue that requires a medical professional on site, we are able to allow the child’s traveling nurse to attend with them – please contact the Education manager to discuss your child’s situation, as ensuring your child’s health is of the utmost importance.

While we would need some advanced notice for planning purposes, the MSPCA is able to accommodate a child with a service dog, but we are unable to have comfort or emotional support animals of any species accompany children at the camp.

Our number one priority is to ensure the safety and well-being of all of participants, and we believe that open and honest communication about our abilities and your child’s needs can helps to ensure a good experience for all.

We are often asked if our humane education programs are considered “therapeutic animal programs”, or if they would be a good fit for children who are seeking therapy for a variety of reasons. The answer to that question is no.

A therapeutic animal program is a specialized program that incorporates the use of trained animals to provide therapeutic benefits to individuals. These camps often include activities similar to what we do at the MSPCA, which are designed to promote physical, emotional, and mental health. The animals in these programs are selected based on the therapeutic needs of individuals or groups, creating a tailored approach to treatment. The presence of animals in these camps creates a nonjudgmental, supportive, and calm atmosphere, which can help reduce stress and promote emotional expression and well-being.  The staff is professionally trained for this purpose and supporting individuals who may need therapy.

While our programs have animals and for some individuals may have the side effect of similar mental health benefits, for others seeing animals in a shelter setting (in cages), can create more anxiety and stress.  Our staff and the animals at the MSPCA are not trained for therapy purposes, and our programs are not designed with that intent in mind.  If your child’s therapist or doctor has recommended animal therapy or a therapeutic camp and setting as part of their treatment plan, we strongly recommended sending them to a program that has the staff and animals who can properly support your child.

Absolutely!  We recognize that a 2:30 start time is a tall order if your child is not local to Methuen, but it is the latest time we can start the program since that location closes at 4:30.  We always start the Junior Volunteer Program with the kids helping us with housekeeping chores (first 45-60 minutes), so they will not miss any animal time if they arrive a little late.  Just check in with the staff at the front counter when you arrive, and they will help you find the rest of the group.

We do not have the ability to supervise children before a program start time, nor can our staff leave your child unattended after the program ends. Parents should wait with their children until the staff arrives to check your child in.  We ask that you please arrive on time to pick your child up, as our staff cannot go home until you do.  In the event that you are running late, the best way to let our staff know is to let your child know via text, as the Education Coordinator is “in the field” with your child and not at their desk.  We understand that unforeseen things happen, but if you are repeatedly late for pickup, which effects our staff’s ability to leave on time, we may be forced to no longer allow your child to participate.

Minor children cannot do any of the following once they are in our care, even with written permission from a parent, even when they are teenagers: walk home from the animal shelter, walk down Route 28 to the bus station at the Village Mall, ride their bicycle/skateboard/rollerblades/motorized transportation home, call for their own Uber/Lift/taxi/rideshare (parent must arrange this type of transportation and provide permission in writing), travel home via the Methuen Rail Trail without a parent or guardian.

Please remember that our Methuen location is open to the public and is located along a very busy Route 28 that does not have sidewalks on the shelter side of the street.  While we are huge fans of the Methuen Rail Trail, it is not patrolled regularly by safety officers, crosses some busy streets, and traverses through some areas that may at times pose a safety concern for people traveling alone.  The decision to only release minor participants to the custody of a guardian is made with your child’s safety in mind.

While we would need some advanced notice for planning purposes, the MSPCA is able to accommodate a child with a disability who has a service dog in our humane education programs.  It is important to note that service animals are not pets and are protected under the law. They are working animals that are trained to assist their owners in specific ways. Per the ADA, service animals are defined as dogs that are individually trained to do work or perform tasks for people with disabilities.  While we know that a service dog is not required to be certified or go through a professional training program, in our experience, a dog who has been professionally trained and certified is unlikely to display behavior that would fundamentally impede our ability to run our education programs.  We strongly recommend that your child’s service dog is fully vaccinated, including being up to date on kennel cough, as they run a higher risk of exposure to illness at an animal shelter.  

Having a service dog attend a program that involves other animals means that we will need to modify the program to account for the presence of a dog around other animals – modifications that we are willing to make.  However, in the unlikely event that the service dog displays behavior that fundamentally impedes our ability to run the program – for example, the dog is vocalizing at people or animals, the child has no control over the dog, or the dog displays aggression toward people or animals – the dog will not be allowed to attend in the future, and/or will be asked to leave early.  If you have any concerns that your child’s service dog may not do well in a shelter environment, please reach out to discuss the situation with the Education Manager.

We are unable to have therapy, comfort or emotional support animals of any species accompany children to our programs, even if even if the animal is certified as such.  Emotional support or comfort animals are not considered service dogs by the ADA, because providing emotional support or comfort is not a task related to a person’s disability.  Having outside animals with varying levels of training attend our programs has the potential to put our staff, other children, shelter animals and your animal at risk.

We are aware the ADA regulations have a separate provision about miniature horses that have been individually trained to do work or perform tasks for people with disabilities.  It is our belief that permitting miniature horses at our humane education programs is unreasonable to accommodate, based on the four assessment factors outlined in the regulations to assist entities in determining whether miniature horses can be accommodated in their facility.  We are happy to discuss your child’s situation further if this scenario pertains to you.

For all of the reasons mentioned above, your child’s pets from home cannot come with them.

Most of our programs are 1-2 hours in duration, so bringing a snack is not usually needed.  We have two water bubblers on site if your child is thirsty, though many kids opt to bring their own water bottle with them.  Children coming directly from school to the Junior Volunteer Program do ask us on occasion about snacks!  We do not provide food, but it is perfectly fine to send your child with a small snack if they need it.

The contact information for the Humane Education Programs is 978-687-7453 x6108.  Please note that we have limited office hours for humane education during the school year, and it may take a few days to hear back from us regarding general inquires.

For programs being held at our Methuen location, our address is 400 Broadway Methuen MA, 01844.

For programs being held at our Boston location, our address is 350 South Huntington Ave, Jamaica Plain, MA 02130.

For programs being held at our Cape Cod location, our address is 1577 Falmouth Road, Centerville MA, 02632.

We will honor one buddy request per camper (both children must request each other). There is a spot on your child’s registration form to enter a buddy request. Please keep in mind that due to the large number of buddy requests we receive, we cannot accommodate larger buddy request, as this affects our ability to have the correct staff to camper ratio for certain activities, as well as honor all buddy requests.  Campers are broken into smaller groups for some of our hands on animal activities, but they are also frequently all together, so not being in the same group as a buddy does not mean you will not see them all day.  We find that most campers make many new friends throughout the week!  Please be advised that if you list multiple buddies on your buddy list, or create large “buddy chains” with other parents, we may not be able to honor these requests, based on the buddy requests of the entire session.

Counselor in Training, or CIT’s, are 14 year old campers who are seeking more of a leadership role summer camp experience, versus a traditional camp experience (if your 14 year old loves camp but prefers the traditional experience, they can enroll as a traditional camper in Session H).  CIT’s work alongside our summer camp staff, helping to assist the younger campers with our animal care chores, and leading songs, games, and other activities at camp!  The goal of the CIT program is to help prepare campers to be future camp staff – at our camp, or any other.

Since CIT’s are campers and are not on the camp staff, they enroll for camp as other campers do on February 1^st on a first come, first serve basis.  There are limited CIT spots for Sessions A-F (4 per week), and the tuition for a CIT is less than a traditional camper ($275 vs $500).  Due to their closeness in age to the traditional campers, we do not have CIT’s in Sessions G and H.