In our Humane Education classroom in the Learning Center, we try to have an example of most of the popular small animals that many people, especially children, tend to have for pets. We understand the appeal; pets confined to cages are usually easier than a dog that needs to be walked, a cat that needs to be kept off the kitchen counters or a horse whose stall needs to be mucked every day! But that doesn’t mean that the little caged animals don’t have very specific wants and needs. How we care for them can make a huge difference in their health and happiness. All of the small animals in our classroom are housed in the best cages, fed the most appropriate food and treats, and given much needed handling and exercise.

We are happy to show visitors what it’s like to clean a hamster cage or provide chewing materials to a rabbit. We want you to know what to expect when you adopt a small animal to live in your home.

Please come by and ask if you have any questions about toys, cages and housing, especially for those animals that you don’t see as often as others such as hedgehogs, chinchillas and degus.

We believe that all animals deserve a comfortable, healthy and appropriate way of living.

Visiting with the animals is the favorite activity during our School Vacation Camps, Storytime with the Animals and Junior Volunteers! For more information on these popular children’s programs please visit our Humane Education page.