Put FUN into Service Learning Now. Accept this Mutt-i-grees Ambassador Mission.

From a classroom activity to a community event, there are many ways you can amplify the mission. Small Actions have BIG Impact! Don’t sweat this. We are the wind at your back all the way!

Where to Begin

North Shore Animal League America has multiple annual programs that are turn-key for your Ambassador’s initiatives:

1) Kitten Bowl Parties to raise awareness for shelter cats at your local shelter. We give you all the fun party supplies!

2) Tour for Life a national adoption initiative where our mobile units travel around the country to hold community adoption events with our shelter partners. Host a school or community event in support of your local shelter.

3) Gobal Pet Adoptathon where we join as one voice for shelter pets. Post on social media in support of shelter animals to raise awareness for adoption.

4) Walk & Wag where groups walk around a planned destination or at your school to raise awareness and funds for homeless animals.

5) Rescue Transports where our mobile unit travels to other states to rescue from overcrowded shelters. If you are in the state where we are rescuing, your students can participate in helping the shelter prepare the animals for the journey to New York. If you’re in New York, be at our campus to receive the rescues and prepare them for adoption!

Activities Beyond Animal League America

Create a M.U.T.T.S. Club

Students work to amplify the adoption message to help save the lives of shelter animals in their communities and across the nation. An organized board of passionate students can fuel the cycle of change.

M otivated
U nderstanding
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  • A Museum Display for your local Children’s Museum is a great way to tie into STEM by creating a display on the overcrowding that shelters face and the solutions to stop euthanasia.
  • Produce a PSA for Local TV Stations or Public Radio to fuel positive action for homeless animals.
  • Participate in Podcasts held by animal advocates or local radio stations to raise awareness on the plight of homeless animals and the importance of adoption.
  • Hold a Candlelight Vigil in honor of shelter animals.
  • Write to Your Congress for stronger Animal Protection Laws.
  • Collect Items for Your Local Shelter as they often need ordinary things like gently used towels and blankets, newspapers and tennis balls. One person’s trash… another’s forgotten possession… can mean the world to a shelter pet. If even half of the students and parents at your school contribute, think of how many animals will be helped.
  • In-Classroom Volunteer Activities can be as simple as creating posters and cage cards for your local shelter. This has great impact on potential adopters when they see student’s promoting adoption.

On a Grander Scale! Host a Mission Mutt-i-grees Event

Raise awareness and/or funds for your local shelter. Students will learn to effectively market a cause, engage advertisers, media and sponsors for community engagement while using social media as a positive tool.

Pre-Planning An Event

  1. Decide on what you want to do.
  2. Pick a date and location.
  3. Share the event on social media – encourage students, parents and your school to do the same.
  4. Have students hand out or email save-the-date calendar holders to friends and family to get their support.
  5. Place posters at your school and throughout the community to help spread the word.

Fundraising Tips

Step 1: Secure Sponsors to increase your financial support and marketing opportunities. Pre-event funding helps kick-start a project while creating a cross-promotion platform. You’ll include the sponsor name and logo on all of your event materials and the sponsor will do the same to enhance public image while demonstrating commitment to social responsibility.

Nose Around Town for Support

  • Vet Your Vet! Students can contact local veterinarians to help spread the word at their offices with their created flyers.
  • Pet Supply Stores! They love pets and the business students will generate when they hand out your local shelter’s item wish list.

A Stray Thought To Chew On

Just ask! Students can strategize to engage in conversations. You never know who might throw a bone-us! Do the math! Hound 10 people for $10 and you’ve just raised $100! Students manage each dollar they raise! Your classroom can set a fundraising goal to encourage participation.

Step 2: Plan The Event. No one likes to sit up and beg, but motivate your students to consider tail-wagging ideas to generate more dollars for collars!

Embark Where You Park: Begin at your school or library to plan activities. Students learn the resources in their own backyard.

  • Bones and Scones: students, parents and teachers bring in snacks that encourage donations via a “Reward” jar.
  • Pet Photo Contest with entry fees. Best tail, ears, smile!
  • Got Treats? Students buy in bulk and offer to teachers and parents for contributions.
  • Unleash A Request for doggone support in the community newsletter.
  • Organize A Bake Sale complete with homemade dog biscuits.

Fun After Dark

  • Organize a party, pot luck dinner, poetry night or cabaret to benefit the cause.
  • Arrange a Field Day or Game Tournament with an entry fee for competing teams. Encourage pet owners to bring their furry friend for a pre-game parade around the field and all dogs must purchase a ticket, too!
  • Host a “Bark After Dark” Pet Fashion Show.

Step 3: Get Your Community Involved: Friends and Family Spread The Word To Your Pack!

  • Brand and customize email signatures with links to your event page.
  • Post your event across all social media.
  • Fetch friends and followers to “Share” and “Like” and join your Mutt-i-grees event.
  • Party with a purpose when hosting celebrations encouraging guests to donate in lieu of gifts.
  • Host game and movie nights with a donation to participate.
  • Ask pet-loving friends to unleash efforts for your event.

The Event Day

  • Set up a concession filled with drinks and snacks to raise funds.
  • Looking for fun and easy decor? Streamers, balloons, colored table cloths are a budget friendly way to create a party atmosphere. A party store may be willing to underwrite.
  • Don’t forget to snap tons of photos and take video to share on social media.

After the Event

  • Send a “Thank You” with one of your event photos. Supporters love to know how you did. This can be a classroom activity.

Last, but not least….

Social Media Activism

Students may become a Mission Mutt-i-grees Social Media Guru – Everyone we meet becomes another contact, so with each passing day, our social media networks grow. And the good news is that our potential to do good in the world grows, too. Here are just a few ways students can digitally help rescue pets.

  • Spread The Word About Animals In Need
    Follow shelters and rescues on social media. Then, when they post about an animal, share it! One share or like, and the ripple effect begins. Just one click, thousands of people are exposed to an animal in need who they might never have known about. This can make all the difference in the animal’s live. For further impact, they can create stories or videos to post about the senior animals, or ones in need of medical care. Their post could be the one that saves a life. Challenge your students: How many animals can you get adopted?
  • Create A Fundraising Page
    Have you ever seen someone shave their head or wear their pajamas to school for a charity? Students can do the same thing for shelter animals. They can email contacts, post to social media and family members about their idea. They’ll be amazed how people love to support both a friend and a good cause.
  • Raise Your Voice
    No one is without a camera these days due to our mobile devices. Students can record a short video about why they believe it’s so important to respect and take care of animals. Then post that video on youtube and social media pages. Shelter animals are voiceless when they’re being mistreated or need help. So, we have to be their voice. This can be done in the form of a poem… a rap… a casual conversation.  

The goal of the Mutt-i-grees Ambassador initiative is to engage students and fuel their passion to be a positive force in their community. To demonstrate, that at any age you have the power, the voice and resources to make change happen. Ask them: What can you do to help? What can you learn in the process? What are the next steps? The planning and reflection is what makes this a service learning opportunity. Be assured that you’re helping make a difference in the lives of homeless dogs and cats while nurturing your students to be advocates for social change.

Tell us about all the wonderful work you accomplish!

SUBMIT YOUR STORY

Don’t forget to send us: photos, videos, and any coverage you receive, so we can highlight on our social media platforms. Don’t forget to hashtag!