Rancho Santa Fe Full-Day Veterinarian Camp
Explore veterinary skills through hands-on animal care activities
Duration
6 hrs
Includes
Vet instruction, animal encounters
Highlights
Let your child explore veterinary medicine through hands-on labs, animal interactions, and professional tools. Discover how animal-care teams examine, treat, and support a range of species.
- Meet a veterinarian and ask questions about animal-care careers
- Practice suturing, blood draws, injections, splinting, and bandaging on teaching tools
- Examine microscope slides and identify animal bones
- Perform a health check on a miniature horse using a stethoscope
- Tour a companion animal hospital and explore canine CPR techniques
Itinerary
- Campers rotate locations and activities every 30-45 min. They meet 4 different animals during certain activities and those are dispersed throughout the day. Campers also have a snack time which includes some free play, a lunch time which includes some free play, and a team-building game.
- 8:45-9:00: check in period, campers decorate their portfolios which are provided to them.
- 9:00-9:30: first activity. The class will discuss the day, camp rules, and icebreakers as well.
- 9:30-10:00: second activity (usually meeting the veterinarian)
- 10:00-10:30: third activity.
- 10:30-11:00: snack period.
- 11:00-11:45: fourth activity.
- 11:45-12:30: fifth activity.
- 12:30-1:15: lunch period.
- 1:15-2:00: sixth activity.
- 2:00-2:15: team game.
- 2:15-3:00: seventh activity.
- 3:00-3:15: check out period, campers stay circled up with their class and play quiet games.
What's Included
- Veterinary instruction and hands-on labs
- Animal interactions
- Veterinary training models and equipment
- Camper portfolio with worksheets and information sheets
Important details
- Ages 9+ only
- Requires independent restroom use
- Arrive for check-in between 8:45 AM and 9:00 AM
- Wear closed-toe shoes; sandals are not allowed
- Do not wear clothing with drawstrings on the playground
- Bring a labeled lunch, snack, and water bottle; food and drinks are not provided
- Only people on the authorized pickup list may collect campers, and they must show photo ID
- A signed medical authorization release is required for staff to administer medication
- A $15 late fee per child applies beginning 10 minutes after checkout ends and every 15 minutes after that
- Leave pets, toys, stuffed animals, sharp objects, and hazardous items at home
- Animal species may vary based on health, safety, and availability
Cancellation Policy
Cancel more than 24 hours before camp for an 85% refund. No refund for cancellations within 24 hours.
FAQs
In order to give campers the best and most hands-on experience with veterinary professionals and tools, we have to cover the costs of those increased services and materials. However this is an experience like no other and is truly demonstrating equipment and skills used in the industry!
We run the same style of program on each date so they aren't designed to be different, but the half-day does have several different activities from the full-day!
As amazing as that sounds, unfortunately neither situation will occur. We aren't equipped to run surgeries with an audience and for safety purposes, we cannot have untrained people assisting with animal medical care. Campers will meet a veterinarian and see a hospital, taking a tour and not actively assisting the staff.
Meeting details
Helen Woodward Animal Center - Humane Education Campus
