Tri-County Small Animal Program
Does your child love animals but you don’t have a large area for them at your home? If so, the Tri-County Small Animal Program is an excellent opportunity for youth to learn more about raising, caring for, and showing rabbits and/or guinea pigs through a hands-on experience!In this six-month program, youth will get a rabbit or guinea pig and raise them until the final event of showing them in the Avery County Fair and WNC Mountain State Fair. During the program, youth will attend one workshop per month where they will bring their animal and work with them, learning how to care for and show them. The workshops take place at 5:30 p.m. on the following dates: April 7th, May 5th, June 9th, June 30th, and August 4th. There will be a mock show on September 1st at 6:00 p.m. at the Avery County Fair Grounds. The show will take place at the Avery County Fair on September 7th at 7:00 p.m. At the conclusion of the program, participants can either auction off their animal at the Avery County Fair, or keep them.
Youth will be placed into age categories where they will be showing/competing against each other in their same age category. Youth ages 5-8 will show their animal and be asked questions, but will not be judged. The age categories are as follows: Group 1- Ages 5-8, Group 2- Ages 9-12, Group 3- Ages 13-15, Group 4- Ages 14-18.
The cost of participating in the program is a $50 deposit, due at the interest meeting. Upon successful completion of the program, participants will receive all of their deposit back.
There will be an interest meeting on March 3rd at 5:30 p.m. at Trinity Episcopal Church in Spruce Pine (15 Hemlock Ave, Spruce Pine, NC 28777).
All workshops will take place at Riverside Park in Spruce Pine (305 Tappan Street, Spruce Pine, NC 28777). If interested, please contact Jordan English at 828-682-1872 or jordan_english@ncsu.edu
