Jessica Huxmann spent the morning instructing the children, who were attending FTAA’s annual “Zoo Camp”, about the hidden costs of owning a “free” puppy or kitten. (Photo Credit: Family Traditions Animal Adventures LLC)
News Release
On Friday, June 3, as the temperatures climbed into the upper-80’s outside, over 25 children sat attentively in the air-conditioned main education building at Family Traditions Animal Adventures LLC (FTAA) on Poole Road outside of West Union.
Jessica Huxmann spent the morning instructing the children, who were attending FTAA’s annual “Zoo Camp”, about the hidden costs of owning a “free” puppy or kitten. Huxmann conducted the presentation on behalf of the Humane Society of Adams County, a local private non-profit group based in West Union whose mission is to provide shelter for pets, reduce pet overpopulation, and to educate the public about the humane treatment of animals. During Huxmann’s presentation, campers were asked to imagine that they had just acquired a “free” puppy or kitten. Campers then helped tally the costs of caring for such an animal. Shots, deworming, flea and tick preventative medication, high-quality food, toys, routine vet care, sterilization and other incidentals added up to $490 for a puppy’s first year of care and $470 for a kitten’s first year of care.
For this reason, Huxmann explained, “free” puppies and kittens are not truly free when given proper care. Huxmann went on to reveal the total initial cost to properly house and care for various exotic pets, such as $474 for the care and set-up of an enclosure with Poison Dart Frogs, $350 for the care and set-up of a Bearded Dragon, and $290 for the care and set-up of a pair of Parakeets. Later, Huxmann introduced the Zoo Campers to four live Homing Pigeons and explained the biology and care of the birds. At the conclusion of the talk, Zoo Staff led the children outside to a large sunny field where Huxmann released the four birds,who flew home to their loft. Campers made predictions about which bird would arrive home first and campers with correct guesses earned a pigeon feather as a prize.
For more information about Family Traditions Animal Adventure LLC, please call (937) 515-8538 or visit them on Facebook at Family Traditions Animal Adventure LLC.
For more information about the Humane Society of Adams County, please call (937) 544-8585, visit www.adamscountyanimals.org or email [email protected].
For donations to help abused and neglected domestic animals in Adams County, please send checks to HSAC, PO Box 245, West Union, OH 45693.
