Dakin Humane Society to Offer Animal Adventures Program in July

SPRINGFIELD — Dakin Humane Society will present its annual Animal Adventures program this July, featuring an array of activities geared especially for children interested in animals. The five-day sessions will take place 9 a.m. to 3 p.m. July 6-10 (for children ages 7-9) and July 13-17 (for children 10-12) at Dakin’s Springfield Adoption & Education Center at 171 Union St.

Participants will enjoy, among other activities, guest appearances from animal professionals (usually accompanied by animals of interest), craft making, and quiet time with the sheltered animals.

According to Lori Swanson, manager of Education & Volunteer Services at Dakin, “one of the program’s goals is to empower children to make compassionate choices in their lives. Not only will they learn practical tips on things like preventing dog bites and caring for pets, but also they will benefit from interacting with each other as well as animals. The program is experiential in nature, and children just naturally respond to hands-on, unique presentations like ours.”

A total of 24 children can be enrolled in each of the sessions, and reservations are expected to fill quickly. To enroll a child, contact Swanson at (413) 781-4000, ext. 112 or [email protected].

Swanson is also seeking people at least 16 years old to serve as volunteers for the program, noting that “we’ve had children who came to Animal Adventures for several years come back to help run the program as volunteers, which is very gratifying.” Dakin encourages anyone who is a teacher, education major, or who has an overall interest in children and animals to inquire about volunteering for this year’s program by calling (413) 781-4000, ext. 112.


Dakin Humane Society provides shelter, education, advocacy, and assistance for animals and people in need from its two locations in Springfield and Leverett. The organization shelters nearly 6,000 animals every year and provides low-cost spay/neuter surgery and vaccinations to 12,000 more. Dakin is a local, private, nonprofit organization that relies solely on contributions from individuals and businesses that care about animals to bring its services to the community.