Activity
Photo Credit: Vlada Karpovich via Pexels

‘Hero in my Hood’ has fun activity pages designed to teach children the importance of good pet care in winter; from making sure pets have warm jerseys and bedding, to adequate kennels.

 

South Africa (29 June 2023) – For children as young as six, the best way to learn valuable lessons is through fun, engaging and educational activities. Hero in my Hood was founded to help teach lessons while keeping things fun. They have many kinds of activity pages available but this week they are focusing on the winter pet care ones.

The organisation creates fun activity pages for children aged 6 to 12 years. Characters Jongi, Thandi and their friends are illustrated in activity form on heroic adventures to learn important life lessons. Hero in my Hood was founded in 2016 by Mandy Lomberg and Kate Boyes.

Some of the lessons shared include good hygiene and handwashing, understanding gender-based violence, animal care and welfare, as well as general life lessons.

Each activity sheet is dedicated to social issues, and by handing the sheets out, they help raise awareness for issues that affect those areas.

At present, South Africa is being lashed by winter, whether it be bitterly cold nights, frosted mornings, Cape storms, flooding or other new weather developments, if we are feeling the cold, so are our pets!

“Winter is upon us with a vengeance. In Cape Town we have experienced unusual flooding – and we have to include the weather in our conversation.

As we snuggle up with our warm soup, spare a thought for those less fortunate, both human and animal. Especially those animals that are tethered and cannot move to find shelter. They are at the mercy of their human carer and the elements.”

Hero in my Hood hopes to highlight how we can all help during this time.

Here’s how you can help

  • Report any animals in need of help to your nearest SPCA or animal rescue organisation.
  • Donate pet food and blankets to a rescue organisation near you.
  • Help educate owners on the best care possible, especially for those experiencing financial distress.
  • Download information from our website, print out copies and take them to your closest school or animal shelter to help with their education drives.
  • Sponsor a book or brochure and we will distribute it to an organisation with an education outreach programme.

The ideal place for a pet to be during winter, is in the home however, not every family has the luxury of space and so many animals do spend winter outdoors. The very best thing a person can do is to ensure their pet has warm, protected shelter over their heads that is dry and out of the severe elements.

Making sure a kennel is raised off the ground will prevent it from flooding in winter rainfall areas. Placing it underneath a roof or tree will also help offer additional protection from the elements as will placing it in such a way that the prevailing winds and rains cannot get it.

Keeping bedding dry is essential so should there be any leaks or rotting wood, a new kennel is needed. Owners are also encouraged to air out and dry any blankets that have been damp.

Below is an example of one of the activity pages available – you can find them all using the link below and they are in available printable quality so be sure to check the website out.

The organisation welcomes commissioned works and suggestions for titles and social issues. Parents, educators and other facilitators that would like to teach children about the importance of good pet care in winter, take a look at all the free downloads here. You can also shop for full activity books and educational posters here.


Sources: Hero in my Hood – Newsletter
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About the Author

Tyler Leigh Vivier is a writer for Good Things Guy.

Her passion is to spread good news across South Africa with a big focus on environmental issues, animal welfare and social upliftment. Outside of Good Things Guy, she is an avid reader and lover of tea.

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