At "Camp Hope" in Santa Maria, children are once again getting an opportunity to learn more about animals and responsible pet ownership.
Thirty-five children are spending the week at the Santa Maria Animal Center as part of Camp Hope. Organizers say the camp was started about 15 years ago and introduces children to the many aspects of owning a pet.
Katie Hossli used to be a camper herself and is now a volunteer.
"They'll teach you basic grooming, how to brush their dogs and groom their nails, how they get your dogs to sit, so they can work with their dogs at home to do it, or they get a new dog and they know how to do it," Hossli said.
The camp is a blend of education, recreation, crafts, guest speakers, and hands-on activities.
Camp founder Linda Greco says the overall goal is responsible pet ownership.
"Our foundation, Santa Barbara County Animal Care Foundation, is a countywide organization but we focus mainly on [the] north county because that's where the greatest issues are," Greco said.
The camp is for ages 9-12 and is $300 for the week. Another session of Camp Hope takes place in July.
For more information on the program, click here.
