Phoenix Herpetological Sanctuary: Junior Vet Camp

July 15 – 19

Ages 8 – 11

Your registration for a week-long camp will include:

• 1 Camp T-shirt with camper name, per week (More available to purchase if needed)
• Photos of camp. Emailed 1-2 weeks after the camp has ended in a Google Drive Folder available for about a year
• Camp Gift per week (TBD but in the past we have had draw-string bags, Folders etc)
• 2 snacks per day (1 in the morning and 1 in the afternoon) & Unlimited water
• Week of memories that will never be forgotten!! 😉

Dissections: YES, with option to opt out or just observe

Interactions: YES with nonvenomous animals, this is an essential part of our camp

Designed for campers with a strong interest in veterinary medicine, possibly focusing on reptiles. 

Description: Our vet camps are different as we incorporate other rescues such as the AZ Humane Society and Liberty Wildlife, to teach about their shelter medicine for animals other than reptiles as well.  We also have a vet tech come in as a special guest to teach and work with the campers one day and throughout the week, the campers learn about our medical and high needs animals and even get to help take care of them!  Don’t worry, they won’t be doing surgery on any animals, but they could be giving it a special soak, assisting it shed, applying topical medicine, or assisting the counselor with the more challenging tasks.  We also do a necropsy in the Advanced Vet Camp, where we first dissect a rodent to discuss mammal anatomy.  Then we will perform a necropsy on an animal that passed away, such as a ball python, to explore the internal anatomy of a reptile and compare it to the mammal they previously dissected.  The campers always wear protective gear and must follow PHS safety protocols, which are thoroughly explained prior to any dissection.  If a camper is uncomfortable or does not want to participate in the necropsy or dissection, they do not have to; we have alternative activities they can participate in instead.  By the end of vet camp, campers will have done case studies, examined live animals of all types, learned about wildlife and how we study populations of wild animals and health concerns they may have, and more.  It is fun and interactive, and perfect for the child who “wants to be a vet when they grow up”!  Junior campers do not do the actual dissections, but do complete a virtual dissection on the iPad so that they can still learn about the internal anatomy, but electronically instead of real life.

See Summer schedule 

Register