Document the environments of local animal shelters.
Animals in shelters tug at heartstrings. While you might wish that animal shelters were unnecessary, most do good work of protecting and providing for animals in their care with the resources available. Science fair projects involving animal shelters, through pictures, posters and on video, show the different types of shelters available and contrast the different policies.
Positives and Negatives
All animal shelters are not the same. Create science fair projects around the different types or categories of animal shelters. Visit several city and county shelters that receive at least the majority of their funds from government entities. Interview staff members and ask about operations. In a fair project, show the positives and negatives of government-funded shelters. Look into private facilities, which rely on donations. While city and county facilities use euthanasia as part of their programs, many nonprofit facilities do not. Sanctuaries offer a place for animals with serious problems. A fair project might show a model of an animal shelter sanctuary with a variety of animals with artificial legs or wheeled conveyances to help them get around. You might also show differences in shelters focused on just dogs, small animals, large or exotic animals.
Programs
While all animal shelters exist to take in stray animals or animals owners are no longer able to care for, shelters differ in what they offer the animals in their care. Ask about animal socialization, rehabilitation, foster and adoption policies. Follow programs at one animal shelter, documenting how they take in animals, how they handle the animals, both docile and abused, as well as their foster and adoption programs. Interview foster families as well as families who've adopted animals from the shelter. For a science fair project, show how effective these programs have been as well as improvements that could be made. Compare the programs of two different animal shelters such as a county and nonprofit facility.
Healthy Animal Shelters
Animal shelters may be safe havens for stray and abused animals, or they may further stress the animals in their care. Check out animal shelters in the area, both government and privately run. Take pictures, talk to staff and volunteers about programs for the animals. Check out the environment, looking at whether it is a healthy and safe place for the animals with enough room for each animal. Animals need a place to rest, a place to exercise and attention and care. If a facility does not hold to the highest standards of care, they may not be eager for exposure. A science fair project shows what an animal requires and whether area facilities fulfill these needs.
Compare & Contrast
Many city and county facilities use euthanasia as a way to decrease their animal population when overcrowded. Many nonprofits and sanctuaries see their facilities as rescue operations and use euthanasia only when there are no alternatives for a badly damaged animal. Compare and contrast the different missions of regular and no-kill facilities. Research the basis for each point of view and the scientific foundation for each method of handling animals. Show these differences in a science fair project.
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