Presenting educational programs can increase community awareness of local wildlife issues, introduce your wildlife rehabilitation practice to a new audience, and generate revenue to support your work. However, in addition to planning and executing these events, it’s important to understand best practices and legal requirements for using live animals and artifacts in educational programs. In this session, we will explore the pros and cons of using live animals in educational programs, best practices for caring for educational animals, and alternatives to consider when live animals are either unavailable or inappropriate.
Presenting educational programs can increase community awareness of local wildlife issues, introduce your wildlife rehabilitation practice to a new audience, and generate revenue to support your work. However, in addition to planning and executing these events, it’s important to understand best practices and legal requirements for using live animals and artifacts in educational programs.
In this session, we will explore the pros and cons of using live animals in educational programs, best practices for caring for educational animals, and alternatives to consider when live animals are either unavailable or inappropriate.
General program do’s and don’ts
What does “non-releasable” mean?
Criteria
Temperament testing
Proper housing for educational animals
Long-term care diet considerations
Wellness and preventive medicine
Public contact
Time limits for display
No display without containment
Escape-proof arenas
Harness/leash issues
Constant supervision required
Creating a program with live ambassadors
Using artifacts instead of live ambassadors
Genuine bone vs synthetic bone
Do you need a USDA exhibitor’s license?
Liability insurance
