Opening Hours

Animal Viewing Hours:
(by appointment only)
Monday - Friday: 10am - 4pm
Saturday: 9am - 4pm

General Hours: 
Most Days: 9am - 5pm
Wednesdays:  10am - 5pm
CLOSED: Sundays and Public Holidays

Kids N' Kritters

Kids N' Kritters Workshops

Kids n Kritters Workshops are back these winter holidays! For more information on our available sessions, please read on below; bookings can be made using the calendar. Each session will include a short break, so participants are welcome to bring along some lunch or a snack - egg and nut free please.

Important Information

Please note that children who are attending two workshops in one day must be picked up in between sessions as we are unable to provide supervision during this time.

Please note that while we make every attempt to follow planned programs, there may be some days where children are unable to pat or hold animals. This is due to the nature of our shelter; many of our animals are very timid and are not ready to be handled by a group. Decisions around animal interaction are always made with the welfare of the animal as paramount. All sessions may include visits to other animals around the shelter – please let us know if there are any animals that your child is fearful of or inexperienced with.

We endeavour to keep as close to our curriculum as possible, however in the event of bad weather or not having animals suitable for the session we will alter the curriculum slightly and/or utilise staff animals. The session will still be interactive and lots of fun!

Location: 12 Kirkpatrick Street, Weston ACT 2611.

Allergy Information: Please note that while we don’t allow children to bring nuts or nut products into a KnK program, RSPCA ACT is not a nut free environment. Our dogs are sometimes given peanut butter as a treat, and this is stored in our kennels. Please advise staff if your child has a nut allergy.

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Session Information

Pocket Pets

Dates: TBA
Time: TBA
In our Pocket Pets workshop we will be learning about the big responsibility of owning a small animal - this may include rabbits, guinea pigs, birds, ferrets, rats or turtles. Learn all about the special care that these animals need and the individual quirks and behaviour of each animal. We will also get to complete some care tasks for our animals, which may include making enrichment, preparing food, making observations or replacing bedding. Our Pocket Pets workshop also includes a tour of our shelter, to visit animals great and small!

 

Enrichment for Shelter Animals

Dates: TBA
Time: TBA
Enrichment is so important for our shelter animals, as it provides opportunities for them to use their natural instincts and behaviours, overcome fears and learn to trust humans. It also makes their day a lot more interesting! Enrichment is anything that makes an animal’s environment more interesting and varied - this can include sights, smells, and sounds and toys, and even interaction with people. Food enrichment puzzles allow our animals to partake in their natural behaviours such as digging, chewing and pulling in a positive way – and keeps the animal's attention a lot longer than a simple food bowl. In this session you will learn all about enrichment for pets, and have the chance to make a few animal enrichment items of your own.

About Our Workshops

Class descriptions, timetables and bookings will be released approximately one month before the commencement of each ACT Public School Holiday period.

Workshops are quite popular and often book out quickly. If you would like to be notified as soon as bookings become available, please email us at education@rspca-act.org.au

Or, become a Junior SupPawter and enjoy early access to all workshop bookings (along with many other goodies!). Junior SupPawter applications can be found here.

Workshops include a shelter tour along with lots of information and hands on activities. Topics vary each school holidays but may include Enrichment, Positive Dog Training, RSPCA ACT Adoptions, Cat Behaviour, or more!

We also invite other local animal loving organisations in to present workshops from time to time; this helps children to understand the bigger picture of animal care and protection within the community. These sessions also provide an opportunity to learn about more specialized animals or areas, including reptile husbandry and basic pet first aid.

Generally, a Kids n Kritters Workshop runs for two hours, and includes:

An interactive information session Based on the chosen topic, with opportunities to ask lots of questions.
A shelter tour Depending on what animals we have, we may see kittens, dogs, turtles, rats, guinea pigs or occasionally even a pig or goat!
Hands on activities based on the session topic This can include preparing lunch for dogs, socialising with kittens, creating enrichment items for rabbits, tunnels for rats or more!
A chance to revisit any animals of interest We can show them their new toys or treats, or just spend time giving them that little bit of extra love.

Kids n Kritters Workshops are suitable for animal enthusiasts aged 7 -13. We are always keen to hear any topic suggestions as well, so if there is an area that your child is particularly interested in, please let us know!

What to Bring on the Day:

  • All participants should bring their own labelled drink bottle
  • All participants must wear appropriate clothing, including long pants, enclosed footwear, a hat and sunscreen
  • Participants staying for multiple sessions should bring a snack and lunch (nut and egg free please). RSPCA does not provide food as part of our Kids n Kritters program, but we do have facilities to refill drink bottles.

Due to current COVID restrictions we will have some altered pick up/drop off arrangements for our summer workshops. Please endeavour to arrive as close to the session start time as possible and wait outside the reception area with your child. We unfortunately will not be able to allow guardians to enter the reception building with their child at any time during the session. More specific details on our COVID drop off/pick up procedures will be provided upon booking.

Our session educator and volunteers all hold Working with Vulnerable People cards and have met RSPCA requirements to attend Kids N' Kritters. For this reason parents are welcome to wait in our waiting area for the duration of the session, however are unable to attend the session with their child. Under special circumstances, you may receive permission to attend, however you are required to hold a WWVP card and pay the participant fee in full.