The Deputy council of Valladolid has been carrying out an environmental program in the schools, discussing different subjects (a different one every year). This year they were talking about the small lizard and her problems in the province.

The program consists of three sections, a theoretical one, where a lecture is given to kids from 3rd and 4th grade in primary school, showing them slides. There was also a practical part, in which the kids fill in a file with a drawing made by them which, at the end of the program, will enter a contest, so that a book will be made out of those drawings. Last, the part that schools like most, which consists in taking a pet and talk about him.

You may be thinking why I am telling you all this. This year, Scooby has collaborated with this program, lending some of our animals, so that they would be taken to the schools to learn the kids how to take care of dogs, how to train them, which are their needs... And of course: WHAT IS SCOOBY? WHICH IS IT’S TASK? THE PROBLEM EXISTING IN THE AREA WITH THE ABANDONMENT OF HUNTING DOGS.

For this, Scooby has lent some puppies and their mother, a galga and different material, as a poster about the right of the animals, about galgos... so that schools can keep them and see them everyday in their bulletin boards, and remember about the existing problem with the mistreatment and abandonment of dogs.

The general balance has been very positive. The kids (and teachers) would be perplexed with the explanations. They loved being able to get in touch with the dogs, for they were very nice and affectionate. Thousands of questions would rise, and stories to tell. It has been a comforting experience, and we hope that we could change something in the way of seeing the pets, that people don’t see them as something to get profit of (that they take care of the house, that they hunt for them, that they keep their garden clean from others animals...) but as real faithful friends for life.

I don’t want to finish without talking about one of the schools we went to: the “El Pino” school from Valladolid. It is a school where kids with different handicaps go to. It was the last school we assist to, for which we ended the program with a very good taste in our mouths. The kids answer was fabulous, they enjoyed very much with our galga, and even if they couldn’t express themselves, their eyes said everything. For this and many other anecdotes which are difficult to express on paper, an idea has raised to do THERAPY with our dogs in the school as from next course. It was one of the teacher’s idea.

In principle it is just an idea, over which all of us in Scooby have started working, so that we’ll be able to offer them the more specific educational program possible, that they will be able to study and evaluate, and see if it interests them.

Now all we have to do is work hard and wait, and I hope that will be able to tell you soon that the idea is going to be put into action and tell you what it’s going to be about.

Hasta entonces me despido, Until then I say bye to you.

Un Saludo.