salt lake county animal services honored by government peers

Posted By SLCo Animal Services
June 17, 2016

Salt Lake County Animal Services has received an achievement award from the National Association of Counties (NACo) for its Humane Education program. It is a program to educate children and teens about how to be responsible pet owners.

Animal Services Director Talia Butler said, “We are very proud of this innovative program, which is designed to make life better for animals and the humans who care for them. It means a lot that our peers in county government are recognizing our effort.”

The Animal Services Humane Educator gives over 250 presentations to schools and large groups every year. Presentations range from 20 minutes to 2 hours. They teach children a range of activities, from how to approach animals to highlighting training techniques for older youth.

The success of this program has led to the creation of other youth programming. The Book Buddies program provides children a place to come read to animals at the shelter and a Happily Ever  After program highlights fairytale stories and shares with children how the pets at the shelter can find their “happily ever after” as well. 

Butler says Salt Lake County Animal Services is always looking for innovative and original ways to provide better service to the citizens and animals served. The Humane Education program illustrates what makes Salt Lake County’s shelter different from other shelters throughout the country. Animal Services believes this programming will reduce the number of animals that wind up at the shelter and create sustainable, responsible pet ownership in the Salt Lake community.