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Atchison County

Pets Project

Image result for Pets

Are You Into It ? 

“Lions, Tigers, and Bears, oh my!” Do not make good pets but many other animals do. The 4-H pet project helps you explore what kind of pet fits into your family’s lifestyle and how to be an excellent caretaker of your pet.

• Identify breeds and animal species and their characteristics.
• Learn about the selection, care, needs of pets and basic principles of pet behavior
• Demonstrate care and management in feeding, handling, grooming and fitting/showing
• Explore health regulations, first aid, and simple treatments for ailments
• Learn and practice animal ownership responsibilities

Here's What You Can Do All Year !

Pets

Take Pets Further ! 

Here are other opportunities to explore Pets:
• Contact your county Kansas State University Extension Office for information about local pet related events.
• Learn about service animals and how they compare and contrast to pets
• If you are interested in veterinary science and taking care of pets, visit with Kansas State University’s College of Veterinary Medicine.
• Job-shadow at a local business (pet store, veterinary clinic, breeder, etc.) in a career that interests you
• Explore health safety issues with cats and pets – what diseases do cats and pets have that might make humans ill?
• Explore what kinds of birds make the best pets
• Learn how pet birds and fish arrive at the local pet store. Do breeders in the United States raise them or are they imported from other countries?
• Research all the kinds of parasites your pet might get and how to protect you and your pet
• Research the difference between fresh water fish tanks and salt water tanks
• Sometimes people give bunnies and chicks for presents at Easter – explore the pros and cons
• Explore what kind of restrictions your community might have on pets? Can a pet owner keep a large snake in their backyard – or call a chicken or pot-bellied pig a pet?
• Explore the subject of animal assisted therapy, how it is used and what the benefits are
• If you are in high school, consider attending the annual Kansas 4-H Youth Conference

4-H Grows Here

Project Skills For 4-H Members To Explore

How To Brush  Your  Cats Teeth   

Judges Score Sheet  https://docs.google.com/document/d/18mCqAKY0iZD4pA6h8W8QIi-mSiP1LyRmuSSIvd9MO5E/edit

Learn  More  About The  Pet  Project   https://extension.umn.edu/projects-and-more/4-h-pets-project

Clover

KSU Project Page

Fair Resources

Department R:  Pet Show

Score Cards

Cat Fitting and Showing

Cat Project Score Sheet

Small Pet Project

 

Step It Up!

Pass it on! Now that you know how, share it with others. Here are ideas to get you started.

Communication

• How to approach a pet safely
• How to prepare a pet for showing
• How to train a pet for exhibition
• How to select a nutritional diet
• How to select a cat, gerbil, hamster, etc. as a pet
• How to make a carrying cage

Citizenship

• Clean up after your pet
• Volunteer at an animal shelter
• Write a letter to your local paper about the importance of having household pets spayed or neutered

Leadership

• Organize a pet show for your club
• Organize a fundraiser to help benefit an animal shelter
• Research and share with others why it’s not a good idea to keep wild animals as pets
• Develop a plan to foster pets of deploying soldiers

Exhibit Ideas

• Exhibit your cat or pet at the fair
• Make a first aid kit for a pet. Tell why and how each item is used
• Share diet and nutrition information for raising a healthy pet
• Interview your veterinarian about a microchip to identify your pet; develop a video about options
• Attend a pet show; take photos and make a notebook about pet breeds
• Write a story about famous pets for a younger sibling (Garfield, Lassie, Snoopy)
• Visit a pet store and find as many pieces of cat or pet equipment as you can. Identify necessary equipment and costs
• Make a poster on diseases your pet can get. Tell about its discovery, effects, treatments, etc.
• Research jobs related to pets; make a poster showing three jobs that interest you
• Develop a video showing the steps in training a pet
• Research the country or area your pet came from. Take special note of the people, tradition and other types of animals that live in the area. Design a poster showing your pet’s origin
• Design a toy for your pets; tell about your decisions related to safety and cleanliness