Tolles students make furry friend connection
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Students in the small animal care program at Tolles Career and Technical Center prepare to bathe a dog up for adoption at the Humane Society of Madison County. |
(Posted Sept. 25, 2012)
The community has a need; Tolles answers the call.
As simple as it sounds, that’s pretty much how the story unfolded for Danielle King, assistant manager for the Humane Society of Madison County. King, a 2011 Tolles graduate, called Linda Shuler, Tolles’ small animal care instructor, about developing a mutually beneficial partner-ship. That call was all it took.
Now, students in the small animal care program groom, bathe and prepare dogs from the Humane Society for adoption. The dogs get the royal treatment, students gain vital experience and the Humane Society has fresh, furry friends ready to go to good homes.
“A community partnership like this is an outstanding opportunity for everyone involved,” King said. “Once we moved into our new location on Plain City-Georgesville Road, it just made sense to reach out and use the resources close by.”
The Humane Society transports the dogs to the Tolles small animal care lab. On the first visit, students groomed five dogs of varying sizes and breeds.
“The experience was great. We look forward to... more in the coming weeks,” Shuler said.
The students are donating their services to the Humane Society, but will open their doors to the public for such services later in the school year. Once the lab is “open for business,” appointments can be made to have pets groomed and bathed for a nominal fee.
This same lab is where King received her applied learning experience.
“Tolles really prepared me for a career with animals. The first day I walked into work, I started using the things we’d been taught in lab, so it was a very easy transition,” she said.
King and fellow Tolles alum, Bailey Gibson, both employees at the Humane Society, feel at home when working with the school to help benefit the 20 to 30 dogs the Society cares for at any given time.
“We love it and the dogs will love it. These students are making a difference,” King said
For more information about the Humane Society of Madison County, pet adoption or to make a donation, call (614) 879-8368.
For more information about programs and services available at Tolles, visit www.tollestech.com or call (614) 873-4666.
Tolles Career & Technical Center offers students the opportunity to specialize in one of 23 program areas in addition to rigorous academics and the opportunity to earn dual enrollment credit from local post-secondary institutions.
Tolles is located south of Plain City and serves the Dublin, Fairbanks, Jona-than Alder, Hilliard, London, Madison-Plains and West Jefferson school districts.