Senior Project Update

Blog 10:

(1) Currently, for my independent component I am doing exactly what I stated in blog 7. Working at the Police Station with animal control is where I am getting most of my hours. I am working there twice a week for up to 3 hours every week, mostly with my mentor, Jolean Miller. 

(2) See blog 9b. This piece of research is helping move forward in my topic because first off, it is a possible hypothesis for my science project. Then, it is also a possible answer to my essential question. By looking at this research it helping me move on with finding more research on spay/neutering and other answering to my EQ. 

(3) See blog post " Photo's of Glendora Animal Control Volunteering"

Science Fair Proposal

Blog 9b.****  REVISED 

What is your topic? My topic is Animal Control

What is the driving problem behind your experiment and the quote by an expert to support that problem?  The driving problem behind my experiment is the overpopulation of animals in animal control facilities in the United States. Shelters, Humane societies and pound across the nation are being flooded with animals because of the issues regarding overpopulation. But, animal control/shelters across the U.S. are euthanizing a drastic amount of animals to reduce this problem, this is an unequal, unsentimental way to reduce the amount of animals. 

Quote: " ...Less than 15% of the dogs and cats brought into new homes each year are adopted from shelters and rescues....71% of people favored euthanasia for cats and dogs...Still, millions of animals are surrendered to shelters and animal control shelters every year." 

Cite: "Why Environmentalist should care about Pet Euthanasia| Latest News| Earth Island Journal| Earth Island Institute" Why Enviormentalists Should care about Pet Euthanasia| Latest News| Earth Island Journal| Earth Island Insitute. N.p, n.d. Web. Sept. 2012

What is your hypothesis? ****REVISED
If animal shelters better promote the adoptions of animals, then the rate of overpopulation in animal shelters will decrease 

Summary: For my Science Project, I planned on focusing on adoption rates in 22 shelters and comparing it to how many dogs were originally in the shelters between 2011-2012. 

For my experiment I will record my numbers from 22 shelters them compare them to how many dogs were originally in the shelter, then create slopes to see the difference. 

Project Category: Behavioral

Blog 9: Working EQ and Possible Answers

Blog 9

What was the working EQ you used during your presentation?

The working EQ that I used during my 10 minute presentation was, ‘What is the best way to reduce the overpopulation of animals in animal control?’

Did you decide to revise your working EQ after your presentation? If so, write your revised EQ here. 

I am not going revise my EQ at this time.

What are possible answers to your current working EQ?

Possible answers to reducing the overpopulation of animals in animal control would be reducing the amount of puppy mills and breeders in the US, increase the amount of adoptions from shelters and humane societies, advise the public about law enforcements on breeding, neutering, ect and lastly, neutering or saying your animals. The biggest issue and the ones that I have found a lot of research on would be spay/neutering your animals and adopting more domestic animals from shelters. 

Rough Draft of Presentation 1

Blog 8: Rough Draft Link

https://docs.google.com/document/d/18RDFK1CI4keTtkNfwa5B6oSG2J1CcBzH96jgBArEQlM/edit

Independent Component 1 Plan Approval

BLOG 7:

1.Write a description of what you plan on doing for your independent study component.

For my independent study component I plan on doing one of two things. Either I will continue my volunteering at the Glendora Police Station in the Animal Control department to get more experience working first hand with an officer. Or, I was going to try and find a local animal shelter to volunteer at if I am of age. Most animal shelter volunteers need to be 18 or older and possibly be trained.

2. Describe in detail how you think your plan will meet the 30 hours work requirement.

I plan to meet my 30 hours of work required by adding more hours to my volunteering I am already doing with Glendora Animal Control or put in hours at a local shelter. I usually go into the office twice a week, every week for two to three hours. I go on calls, do paperwork or help with the animals in the back.

3. How does your independent study component relate to your working EQ?

My working EQ is “What is the best way to reduce the overpopulation of animals in animal control?” So, by getting in more hours with my mentor I can document how many animals they impound, how many they take to shelters and also look at the shelters statistics of animal overpopulation. With overpopulation, a big issue is non-neutered animals, so I can also look at records of people with non-neutered animals and the issues Animal Control has with that.

Blog 6

Questions for Second Interview: Mentor

·         What process do you have to go through to become an animal control officer?

·         In what ways does Animal Control work with SPCA’s, shelters and Humane Societies?

·         What are the benefits/downsides to being an Animal Control Officer?

·         What specifically is the job of an Animal Control Officer?

·         How do you deal mentally with your job? Such as putting down animals, taking them to kill shelters, ect?

·         How long have you been working with animals or as an Animal Control Officer?

·         What is the most difficult part of your job? Euthanizing animals, catching animals, paperwork?

Photo's of Glendora Animal Control Volunteering

This is the Animal Control Office at GLendora PD where I work on licences, filing and other computer services.

This is the Animal Control Truck which I ride in when I go on calls with the Animal Control Officer. You can see the side doors along the truck that have vents and an air conditioning system in them for when animals are inside.

This is out in the front of the Glendora PD where people pickup, and drop off lost or sheltered animals inside the Animal Control compound.