INDIANAPOLIS — COVID-19 canceled summer camps across central Indiana, including the one at Indy Humane. So, they got creative and came up with another way for kids to engage with animals.
"The Indy Humane Kindness Program was a program developed after we had to cancel our summer camps, which brings in about 400 kids here to the shelter and they get to learn about animals," said Gabby Hoyt, the fundraising associate for Indy Humane.
She said the funds for the program came from a grant from Lilly Endowment Inc.
"The kindness club is a handbook for kids that is modeled after the foster handbook," Hoyt said. "It contains age-appropriate information for the kids to learn about animal care, animal behavior, and there's also a coupon for a virtual meet and greet where you could meet a puppy."
Participants also get to name an animal at the shelter and track their progress to finding a forever home.
"Children are just naturally drawn to animals, and I feel like their spirits just know that the animals are full of love and it's unconditional," Hoyt said. "I think that it is very important to foster at such a young age."
Eva Kirgam, 5, said her favorite part of the program is getting to see all the animals.
"One day, I want to have 100,000,000 dogs," Eva told 13News reporter Meredith Juliet.
"But someone is going to have to clean up after them," Meredith reminded her.
"I'll pay someone to do it," Eva replied.
Click here for more information on the program or to get your child signed up.