The Pet Care Trust - News Releases

Pet Ownership and Responsibility Display at the Providence (RI) Children's Museum. Created by the Providence Animal Rescue League. Project co-funded by five principal sources. The Pet Care Trust funded the Adoption Center.

Abstract: Exhibit opened October, 1997, serving 75,000 visitors in first 6 months, and expects 150,000 visitors in 1998. The 450 square feet exhibit space focuses on children age 5 to 9, but is one of the most popular exhibits for visitors of all ages. The seven theme areas are: the Adoption Center, interactive information about different pet animal needs; the Animal Hospital, veterinary science and exploration; Kids Talking to Kids About Pets, video information about choosing appropriate pets; Puppet Theater, animal puppets, stage scenes and sets for presentations; Book Nook; an animals library with children's books; Animal Homes, three animal homes for entry with animal costumes (dog house, rabbit hutch, bird cage); Aquariums, a wall that separates "Pets and People" from "Water Ways", another Museum exhibit.

Since the opening of the Providence Children's Museum on October 18, 1997, the Pets and People exhibit has served 75,000 visitors, with 150,000 visitors expected in 1998. Pets and People is an integral part of the Museum with 450 square feet of pet animal related activities. The focus is on interactive education and role playing for children ages 5 to 9, but information is available for all age groups and adults. Much of the information is presented on bilingual syntia boards.

The Pets and People exhibit has seven major theme areas:

The Adoption Center: Interactive information about different pet animal needs; flip books about healthy, well adjusted animals; a kids questionnaire to see if they qualify to adopt. Once adopted, the crated stuffed animal is taken to the animal hospital for a health examination. Children role-play as adoption agents or adopter and volunteers from the Providence Rescue League talk to children about responsible pet ownership. The focus is on dogs and cats, but volunteers also use three "kits" covering information about birds, reptiles, and unusual pets and their care.
The Animal Hospital: this space focuses on veterinary science and exploration. White doctor jackets, and exam table with drawers of "instruments" for children's' role playing and a variety of stuffed animals for examination are available. The x-ray viewer with numerous x-rays has been a very popular section for children's discussion and interaction. A microscope is fixed to the counter with items for viewing such as animal hair, quills, scales, feathers and parasites in laminated slides. Flip books focus on animal health and the elements of owner responsibility. A plexiglass cabinet includes turtle and snake skeletons, animal bones and a synthetic heart infested with heartworm. A large mural on the Adoption Center and Animal Hospital wall depicts the mathematical problems related to pet reproduction and pet overpopulation.
Kids Talking to Kids About Pets: a combination of mediums eliciting response from children. A video monitor provides information on choosing the appropriate pet and proper pet care, e.g. guinea pigs: proper diet, nail trimming, proper ways to hold the animal. Other topics include choosing pets if allergies are a problem, when turtles might be a good choice. One monitor helps children write about or draw a picture of a favorite pet. Drawings are hung on the walls and kids are encouraged to contribute photos or drawings of their pets. Pet loss and grieving is also a topic for discussion.
Puppet Theater: the bottom level of a hexagonal space, designed for creativity and pretend. A puppet stage, a bin filled with various animal puppets, stage scenes with indoor and outdoor sets are available for spontaneous presentations.
Book Nook: four steps above the theater is an animals library with children's books for all ages, colorful cushions, good lighting and a quiet place to read.
Animal Homes: three animal homes are accessible for entry. Each space has costumes so the child can pretend to be the animal that lives in that habitat. Th e dog House contains food and water dishes, dog toys, a dog bed, collar and leash and a big chew bones, Lucy, the dog, is painted on the inner wall asleep and dreaming about playing frisbee with her owner. She is painted on the outer side back wall of the dog house with a cut-out where her face should be, so kids can have their pictures taken as "Lucy". The dog costume is a Dalmatian. The Rabbit Hutch has an enclosed wire front with a solid back wall. Food dish with plastic pellets, lettuce and carrots, a water bottle on the wire, hay on the floor and rabbit costume with fluffy tail. Rabbit murals and information about care and needs of rabbits appear on the walls. The Bird Cage is an aluminum circular cage with food and water cups, toys and a colorful bird costume. There is also an adjacent tree designed to remind children that wildlife should not be considered as pets and should be respected and left in nature as wild birds.
Aquariums: a wall of aquariums separates "Pets and People" for "Water Ways", another museum exhibit. The fish are viewed from both exhibits with the focus that fish make great pets. The theme is "Fish are Animals Too" showing that fish need food, clean water and good care just like dogs, cats and other pets. Fish are used to teach responsibility for even the smallest animal.

The Pets and People exhibit has out performed all initial expectations. It has become one of the Museums most popular exhibits for visitors of all ages, and frequently kids spend their entire museum stay at the animal exhibit. The project has also garnered national interest. A display about Pets and People was featured at the Humane Society of U.S. National Conference in San Diego, and a 2 hour workshop will be conducted at the October 1998, American Human Society's National Conference in Anaheim. The project developer and coordinator, Jane Greco Deming recently received the Pinnacle Award, Rhode Island Veterinary Medical Association's highest award. Now Ms. Deming's wonderful dilemma is finding volunteers to staff and manage the popular exhibit. In her "spare time", she continues to address the many inquires from animal shelters requesting information on creating the project.

For additional information contact:

education@parl.org