2024 Pet Academy

*We love pets, but please leave your pets at home, as they will not be allowed into the event*

Pet Academy Notes and Prerequisite from Merit Badge Course Catalog

Animal Science:

Before Pet Academy:
- Put together a notebook of your responses for requirements #1-5 and #7.
- Do the research/work for #6 and record findings in a notebook/journal. Prepare/arrange the information in a way it will be easy to give a verbal presentation to the group.

At Pet Academy:
- Individually show me the notebook with your research findings for #1-5 and #7. (We will also review the information for #1-5 together before you present your findings to me.)
- Be prepared to briefly explain/present your research from #6 to the others in the group (about 5 minutes each).

Dog Care:

Requirement #4: For two months, keep and care for your dog.* Maintain a log of your activities during this period that includes these items: feeding schedule, types of food used, amount fed, exercise periods, training schedule, a weekly body weight record, grooming and bathing schedules, veterinary care, if necessary, and costs. Also, include a brief description of the type of housing/shelter arrangements you have for your dog.
They should bring the log with them so that I can check off those requirements.
Additionally, the scouts will need to record a video for Requirement #5 to bring with them, as this requires a demonstration of their dog performing the cues "sit", "down", "heel", "stay", "fetch" and "drop it".

Pets:

Scouts will need to complete requirements 1 and 4 before coming to class. Requirement 3 -- if you have read a book, bring the book to class.
There will also be additional books available for those who have not read a book.

Veterinary Medicine:

Requirement 6. Do one of the following and bring your report to class.
-6a. Visit a veterinary clinic, hospital, or veterinary referral teaching hospital that does work in one of the practices listed in requirement 1. Spend as much time as you can observing the veterinarians and their staff. Write a
report on what you observed and learned at the facility.  Share your report with your counselor.

-6b. Spend as much time as possible with a veterinarian who works in one of the fields listed in requirement 2. Learn what special training beyond veterinary medical school may have been required for that position. Learn about any special or unusual activities required of this position.
Write a report on what you have learned about this field of veterinary medicine. Include in your report how this field serves the needs of the general public. Share your report with your counselor.