As part of its mission, the Humane Society of Harford County is responsible for educating the community about companion animal welfare. We are always excited to talk to your students, your scouting troops or your members about our animals and share facts about our shelter. We can even bring an animal to represent all the others in the shelter.

Girl Scouts
Whether looking to earn badges or seeking to obtain a Bronze, Silver or Gold Award, there are plenty of educational opportunities available at the shelter to Girl Scout, Brownie and Daisy troops. Many troops hold supply drives and then wrap-up their projects by delivering their donations and taking a tour through the shelter. For a listing of project ideas, please check out our “Pet Projects” booklet.  Other troops want to earn a Pet Care or a Try It badge, so educational programs can be tailored to a troop’s specific needs.

Tours typically last from 45 minutes to one hour and include a brief lecture about what the shelter does, our animals and our needs. We walk through the small animal house, the cat room and the dog kennels. Interaction with the animals is kept to a minimum for safety. To arrange a tour of the shelter and/or an educational presentation please contact Erin Long at 410-836-1090, x106 or erin@harfordshelter.org.

Schools & Day Care Centers
Many Harford County public and private schools select HSHC as the recipient of their service learning activities. Examples of successful activities include supply drives, craft projects such as making cat toys, and penny wars between classes. For additional project ideas, please take a look at the Community Service Project booklet. A representative from HSHC, along with an animal ambassador (if allowed), is available to come and speak to students about the shelter and animal welfare issues. Presentations can be given to jumpstart a program or given to wrap-up a successful lesson. Topics might include how to care for a pet and the associated costs, the importance of spaying and neutering, and responsible pet ownership. Presentations can be tailored to suit a variety of needs. To schedule a speaker for your classroom, contact Erin Long at 410-836-1090, x106 or erin@harfordshelter.org.

Boy Scouts
If your boy scout or cub scout troop would like to tour the shelter, please contact Erin Long at 410-836-1090, x106 or erin@harfordshelter.org. Young men working toward their Eagle Scout rank are welcome to submit project ideas to HSHC. Potential project ideas should be submitted in writing to Erin Long at erin@harfordshelter.org.