Animal Days
Our Animal Days sessions offer young people an opportunity to attend the Shelter to learn about pet ownership and safety.
Join our Animal Days mailing list
Be the first to hear when sessions are scheduled.
Book Animal Days
Check availibility and book.
Hosted by our qualified, DBS- checked and first-aid trained education team, our Animal Days sessions offer young people aged 5-16 an opportunity to attend the Shelter during the school holidays to learn about pet safety and take part in animal-related activities.
The session offers a unique opportunity to gain hands-on experience working exclusively with our rescue dogs, cats, and small animals.
Attendees will learn how to safely interact with our pets and understand their behaviour in a fun, relaxed environment.
During the session the young people will clean a kennel or pen, partake in a craft or enrichment making activity, which can be taken home or donated to a rescue animal, and meet some of our residents.
Throughout the year we occasionally run Animal Days craft sessions for the whole family to enjoy, where you can choose from a selection of craft activities to complete, before enjoying an animal interaction*.
*Please note that the type of animal interaction depends on which suitable animals we have on-site at the time of the session.
Buy an Animal Days voucher as a gift.
Getting in touch
For more information on our educational offerings, please email education@gawa.org.uk or call 01242 548772.
Home-schooled children
Our sessions can be arranged during term time for home-schooled children, please contact us to discuss this further.
When do sessions become available to book?
Our sessions are available approximately one month before each school holiday (with the exception of the Christmas holidays when sessions do not take place). When sessions become available to book, they are announced on our social media and the mailing list is notified. To join our mailing list please complete the form via the link at the top of this page.
How do I book a session?
Once sessions are available to book, you can book a young person onto the day through our Eventbrite page. Our ‘Book Animal Days’ button at the top of the page will take you directly to our Eventbrite booking page.
Please note that sessions are added approximately one month before each school holiday. Prior to this, the sessions will not be available to book onto.
Do parents attend the sessions?
Our sessions are inclusive and cater for all disabilities and additional requirements. Whilst parents are not usually permitted to stay for sessions, if 1:1 support is required for attendance parents/guardians are of course welcome to attend.