Teachers, day-care programmers, scout, and other youth leaders can start inspiring the children they work with by booking an EHS program with content tailored to the age indicated during booking. Presentations are able to be provided to a range of ages but please be aware that the content of the programs is tailored to be most engaging to those who will not find it either too advanced or not challenging enough.

Prices: Range from $42 – $195 for programs

Courses are available Off-Site (at your facility) or in person at EHS.

For Off-Site: Maximum distance from EHS is 100 km with bookings at locations 35 to 70km from the Edmonton Humane Society subject to an additional $50 travel fee.

Have questions?

Our Current Programs

Be Kind To Animals Week – May 5 – 11, 2024

Free 5-Day Lesson Plans For Kindergarten to Grade 6

  • Program Focus: Promoting empathy and kindness towards companion animals in elementary-age students, these free 5-day lesson plans support teachers and home educators in classrooms or virtually with celebrating Be Kind to Animals Week. Activities from the Edmonton Humane Society were developed with Alberta basic curriculum ties in mind while presenting information about animal welfare and care. Packages are grade specific and sent at no cost to registered participants.
  • Suitable Ages: Kindergarten to Grade 6
  • Themes covered: Alberta education curriculum ties linked to animal welfare topics and activities to promote empathy to companion animals in our community.
  • Run Time: Daily lesson plans with activities ranging from 15 to 45 minutes.
  • Deadline to Register: May 1, 2024

Young Readers Program

This 45-minute program is designed for children ages 4 – 6, who will learn how to be “animal friends” through the power of a story that teaches how to interact appropriately with animals. Each book brings to life themes of empathy and caring for living beings.

Children will also engage in a short activity about animal safety and how to appropriately interact with a pet.

Themes covered: Empathy, Animal Safety, Animal Behaviour and Communication, Respect, Teasing, Compassion, Feelings & Interacting with Animals Appropriately.

Who We Are & What We Do

In this one-hour program, students will learn all about EHS, what an animal shelter is, and what goes on behind the scenes to make it run. Our program leader will talk about different animals we have seen at EHS and how you can help animals in your community today. Content difficulty is tailored to the age group you identify during registration

Fun Fact: Did you know the Edmonton Humane Society is over 100 years old?!

Themes covered: Different types of pets, Basic Needs of Animals, Five Freedoms of Animal Welfare, Responsible Pet Ownership & Enrichment.

Caring Companions

New Animal Adoption Process

In this one-hour program, participants will learn about the basic needs of all animals and the five freedoms of animal welfare. Students will be introduced to the concepts of responsible pet ownership. Content difficulty is tailored to the age group you identified during registration.

Themes covered: Different types of pets, Basic Needs of Animals, Five Freedoms of Animal Welfare, Responsible Pet Ownership & Enrichment.

Frequently Asked Questions

Who can book an educational program with Humane Education?

Our bookings are open to any groups interested in expanding their knowledge about our shelter and animal welfare. We offer evening program availability for Guide Groups and youth clubs, as well as day-time availability for teachers and school classes, including home-school groups and daycare programs. For information about our current program offerings, please visit our humane education page.

When you are ready to book a program, select the program and location you’d like to book on our website. After selecting your desired option, you will be taken to a booking page where you may then select the time and date that suits your group.

On-site programs will also be given the option to select any additional add-ons during this stage. Following these selections, you will be prompted to provide all contact information along with payment, after which you will receive immediate confirmation of your booking to the email address provided.

To ensure fair scheduling for all clients and effective resource allocation of our staff, we require all program payments to be made at the time of your booking. For special considerations or questions, please contact [email protected].

In-person presentations at EHS can accommodate up to 35 people.

We offer three add-on options for our On-Site Humane Education Programs at EHS. They are:

  • the Adoption Gallery Tour (15 mins)
  • the Behind-the-Scenes Tour (45 mins)
  • an Enrichment Craft (15 mins)

Please note that the Behind-the-Scenes Shelter Tour includes the Adoption Gallery Tour – only select one of these during booking.

The Adoption Gallery Tour is only 15 minutes so it is a perfect choice for those short on time and is generally better suited to younger participants who would find it challenging to be engaged for an additional 30 minutes of instruction.

Participants will be guided through our Adoption Gallery and will have the opportunity to observe our current adoptable animals. Due to space constraints, the maximum number of participants is 20.

Our Behind-the-Scenes Tour is offered through Humane Education exclusively as an add-on option to one of our in-person presentations at EHS and may be selected at the time of booking. Participants are guided through areas of our shelter not normally open to the public and learn more in depth about the less front-facing work we do at EHS.

Due to space constraints, the maximum number of participants is 20.

If you have 35 people in your group, your group will need to book one presentation, and two tours. Our booking system will only allow you to book one of these tours yourself, please contact [email protected] to book additional tours if needed.

Please note that extra time will be required to facilitate additional tour groups.

While EHS appreciates the public’s desire to help with shelter animals and responsibilities, the nature of our work requires all volunteers to be appropriately trained and onboarded. For those interested in ongoing volunteer opportunities, our volunteer department offers openings to new applicants throughout the year via our website and newsletter.

Those who are interested in helping our animals, but who are unable to consistently volunteer, are encouraged to book an educational program on-site and add-on the enrichment craft activity. The toys crafted in these sessions are given directly to animals in our care and help to enrich their overall quality of life throughout their stay with us.

Off-site presentations can accommodate up to 60 people.

Unfortunately, EHS is unable to offer off-site visits from animals in our care. In some circumstances, we can request to be accompanied by an approved EHS Animal Ambassador; however, we cannot guarantee these visits and do not book programs based on Animal Ambassador availability.

Questions? Email [email protected]