The ARLGP Humane Education team is happy to offer educational programming to youth in our community. Programming can occur in our shelter classroom and/or external visits to local schools and classrooms.

If you are an educator looking to partner for programming, please read through the following expectations and guidelines. Once you’ve done so, please proceed to the appropriate form to inquire about partnering.

The ARLGP is happy to provide Humane Education services/programs for the 16 contracted towns within our jurisdiction. We contract with Buxton, Cape Elizabeth, Casco, Chebeague Island, Gorham, Gray, Hollis, Long Island, Limington, Portland, Raymond, Scarborough, South Portland, Standish, Westbrook, and Windham. If you live outside of our contracting towns, we are happy to discuss partnering, however, a fee for service will be required. 

Due to an overwhelming interest in our programs, we want to ensure our partnerships are a positive experience for students, staff, and animals. Please read our Safety & Protocols information below.

SAFETY & PROTOCOLS

School groups wishing to visit the ARLGP are expected to treat our animals, staff, volunteers and facility with respect and kindness. This entails following the directions and guidelines established by ARLGP staff to keep both visitors and animals safe at all times. Failure to adhere to safety guidelines, may result in dismissal from the current activity or termination of the partnership.

Teachers and chaperones play an integral role in educational experiences and are expected to address any student issues that arise while visiting the ARLGP or while an ARLGP educator is visiting your school. ARLGP staff members will immediately address behavior that directly has to do with the safety of a visitor or of an animal in our care.

ANIMAL MEET & GREETS

Please note that our mission is to provide temporary care and shelter for stray, abandoned, confiscated, and relinquished animals. We do this by creating awareness and support for the humane treatment of all animals. The ARLGP is a Fear Free shelter, meaning all interactions with our animals are focused on minimizing FAS (fear, anxiety and stress). Interactions for students with our shelter animals is based on our shelter population and animal suitability. We cannot guarantee students will meet a specific type or number of animals, as our daily animals change as pets are rehomed. This also means that we are rarely able to travel with our shelter animals as most would find this very stressful.

SCHEDULING & CURRICULUM

School group visits to the shelter and/or outreach visits to your classroom can be scheduled based on our education department staffing availability. Visits are typically 60-120 minutes in length.

Visits to the shelter can be customized depending on the needs and interests of your group. They can include a tour of our facility, time with shelter animals, small in-shelter volunteer projects (as available), and various lessons regarding animal welfare topics. Our lessons are created with a foundation of responsible pet care, kindness towards animals, and compassion for our community of pets and people. Group visits in shelter are limited to 20 people total, students and teachers/chaperones. 

Humane Education Curriculum includes, but is not limited to:

• Animal Body Language-this is the cornerstone of every visit and is tailored to meet your students’ ages/capabilities.
• Importance of spaying and neutering.
• Importance of Microchipping.
• Breed Specific Legislation.
• Animal related Careers.
• Why Declawing is Inhumane
• Rabbit Care 101 & 102.
• Small Animals need Big Care.
• Virtual (pre-recorded) Tour of our Shelter.

Almost all of our lessons can be age-adjusted to fit your group! Please indicate in the form which lesson(s) you are interested in and we will discuss if we can accommodate it with your request!

If your school or community group is interested in visiting us, please complete the form below. Completing the form does not guarantee a visit; however, it allows us to collect essential information for scheduling purposes. A Humane Educator will reach out to you within 48 hours of receiving your request!

Visit the Shelter!

If you are interested in having the ARLGP visit your school or community group, please complete the form below. Completing the form does not guarantee a visit; however, it allows us to collect essential information for scheduling purposes. A Humane Educator will reach out to you within 48 hours of receiving your request!

Visit our School!

If you are a Homeschool looking to partner with us, please email us directly at: education@arlgp.org

All other inquires must be submitted through the appropriate forms above.