People Doing Very Cool Things: San Pedro Pet Outreach

Last week, I got an invitation to: San Pedro Pet Outreach Crafting Day at Sandbar Hotel and Hostel and Restaurant. And I had no idea what it was. But I LOVE pets and I love crafting…

Here was part of the invite: The San Pedro Pet Outreach is launching an exciting new Animal Awareness and Environmental educational program in three local grade schools! To kick things off, we are hosting a volunteer crafting day to assemble all of our educational activities and curriculum materials tailored for first and second graders. The Why: To raise island-wide awareness for animal welfare and environmental youth education.

Love Love LOVE! Let’s check it out. The invite said it started at 9am and when I arrived…at 930…a large crew was in action…

But first things first: what is San Pedro Pet Outreach?

They are a relatively new group (started in September 2025) who organized by 3 women who wanted to support pets and their families on Ambergris Caye. Sort of like a volunteer network/organization that assists SAGA Humane Society with community outreach.

The founding members: Leslie Ursel, Marnie Baesler and Carol Taylor

They decided a great way to reach the community with information on pet care, animal welfare (both domestic and wild animals), health, trash/litter and the environment was to work with kids. (Easy to say but A LOT of work and coordination and volunteer hours) They will be coordinating with both SAGA Humane Society and ACES Wildlife Rescue.

(If you haven’t done the new tour of the ACES Facility – it’s fantastic)

And this school year, they will teaching kids in Infant 1 and Infant 2 at three different schools. Holy Cross, New Horizons School and Isla Bonita School. One session a month about Animal Awareness and Your Environment – with hundreds of kids – for the entire school year!

I met Ms Glen, who taught for years, across a truly impressive range of grades (K to high school), subjects (learning to read to accounting), and states (Illinois, Mississippi, and Louisiana).

They have lesson plans and scripts…over 20 volunteer teachers…and they were making THE CUTEST puppets – the characters for the lessons. The 5 animals that will teach the kids about our animals and our island.

Let me show you…

I’ll start with my favorite. Even though I think she should be named Rebecca…I will not hold it against them.

One side of the table was working on the crocodiles. One side on the cats.

I was so busy gushing about the art work and I didn’t take the great pictures that I should have taken…

But what a fantastic idea. It all speaks to the lovely quote that is on display at the Belize Zoo:

It’s beautiful. A society’s true character shows in how it treats the weak…there is something to that for sure.

So that’s what I learned…and I was inspired.

If you are inspired too AND have time to help…or are just interested in learning more, you can contact them thru their Facebook page. Additionally, they have a training for the volunteer teachers next Wednesday. Contact them for the deets!

I can’t hear and see how it goes. Thank you SO much San Pedro Pet Outreach!