La Tierra Montessori Charter School students are doing their part to help the area’s unwanted animal population.
The students collected food, toys and other items for the animals at the Española Valley Humane Society, as part of their inaugural pet drive.
The Charter School’s Head Learner Christie Berg said the pet supply drive is a follow-up to the school’s month of kindness and coincides with the daily promise.
“This is a follow-up to our Random Acts of Kindness month in November for service and compassion,” she said. “Part of our morning pledge is to take care of those around you.”
Berg said she thought of the idea, after brainstorming possible service projects for the students and remembered the Humane Society’s efforts during the 2011 Las Conchas Fire.
“In Santa Fe, they were asking for food and goods for all the animals that were evacuated and didn’t get picked up,” she said.
Española Valley Humane Society Shelter Receptionist A.J. Buchanan brought Angel, the Australian Shepard-cross she adopted, to the meet the students. She said she chose to bring Angel, who is disabled, because an excellent opportunity was presented, to illustrate that all animals need a caring home.
“She came into the shelter about six months ago, after her owner passed away,” Buchanan said. “She is almost blind and deaf, so I thought it would be a really good lesson for the kids that all animals can find a home. When animals come in here with behavior and physical issues, they tend to be looked over. They all want to look at the cute puppies.”
Buchanan said she was pleased at how much the students knew about looking after pets and how many of them had visited the shelter.
The students also expressed interest in learning about the shelter and when to recognize if an animal is treated improperly.
“They asked very intelligent questions about care, housing an abuse,” she said. “I got several abuse questions.”
La Tierra third-grader Adrian Escardeno, 8, said he thought the class project was a good idea.
He said if, for some reason, he and his family couldn’t afford to feed their 10 animals, he would want some help.
“The dogs will die,” he said. “The dogs and cats can’t go to the store and buy stuff.”
His schoolmate Ira Borth-Jorgesen, 10, said charitable work, such as collecting items for needy animals, is important to help fill the gaps in service.
“Organizations need help because they usually need stuff and they don’t have enough money to support it,” Borth-Jorgesen said.
Like most of his classmates, Borth-Jorgesen has numerous animals at home, about 36, including dogs, cats and chickens.
He said the chickens are his favorite and each night, he looks forward to rounding them up.
“I have to get them in from them roaming wild,” he said. “We have to let them outside because they are supposed to be pretty good pesticides. I have to get them in and get them water and food.”
