paws & professions career day

In partnership with the YMCA of South Florida, the two-part program begins with the Paws & Professions Coloring & Activity Book, a custom-designed educational resource introducing children to careers, including veterinary medicine, animal rescue, pet grooming, dog training, pet nutrition, animal behavior, responsible pet ownership, and many other professions dedicated to animal health and welfare.

More than 5,000 educational coloring and activity books will be distributed throughout South Florida through YMCA of South Florida Family Centers, 50+ YMCA after-school programs serving Miami-Dade County schools, and The Big Woof Festival’s network of community partners and family outreach events 

leading up to the festival.

The second part of the program takes place at The Big Woof Festival, where children transform what they’ve learned into real-world experiences by 

participating in interactive Career Discovery Stations located throughout the Dog Lover's Marketplace. 

While visiting the various vendor marketplace booths, children will have the opportunity to meet professionals representing a wide variety of pet-related careers and learn firsthand about the important roles they play in caring for animals.

Once the visits are completed and their Career Day Passport stamped, the children receive a Junior Animal Advocate Certificate.