Washougal elementary students make toys, blankets for animals at Humane Society

Washougal — First-graders at Cape Horn-Skye Elementary School created toys and blankets for dogs and cats at the Humane Society for Southwest Washington, and then delivered the presents to the animals on Dec. 19. They were also given a tour of the society, where they checked out the clinic where animals are cared for, learned how family circumstances can lead to animals being brought in and what takes place to help animals find a new home. The highlight of the tour was a walk along the cages where they got to see the animals. Before touring the cages, students were instructed on how to approach a dog to say hello with a closed hand slowly offered to the animal’s nose. They also learned how to use hand sanitizer to avoid the spread of disease. “We also want the kids to see that this place is not what they might have imagined,” Sam Ellingson, outreach and strategic partnership coordinator, said in a release from the district. “It is not sorry or sad here. It is a clean and friendly place that cares for animals in need.”