Animal Carer Activity Badge

Our partner Pets at Home has produced an activity pack to support the Cubs Animal Carer Activity Badge.

These badge requirements were updated on 26 January 2018. The previous badge requirements can still be used until 31 January 2019, to allow for transition where necessary.

How to earn your badge

1. Complete one of these:

• Take care of an animal for at least two months. Give it the correct foods, and learn to recognise common traits and habits including how to groom, clean and exercise the animal.
• Help to care for a farm animal for at least two months. Know the correct foods to give it and be able to recognise common illnesses. Learn what special care you need to give before and after the birth of farm animals.

2. Then choose two of these to do:

• Keep a record of bird, animal or insect life in your garden, local area or park. Keep pictures, sketches, photographs or audio recordings. Do this for at least three months.
• Visit a zoo, wildlife park, animal sanctuary or rescue centre. Find out about some of the animals you see. What are their feeding habits and natural habitats?
• Join an animal, bird or wildlife society. Either take part in one of its activities or make progress in any award scheme it offers.
• Find out about dangers that threaten wildlife in their natural habitat. Make a poster, collage or drawing or tell other Cub Scouts what you found out.
• Learn and understand what you need to do and be aware of when deciding to own a pet.

Top tips

The animal you care for could be a dog, cat, gerbil, guinea pig, fish, bird, rabbit, lamb or even a stick insect!

This can include the looking after of wild animals such as birds. Caring for them would include feeding them and looking after a bird bath for example.

Maybe you could help look after a family member’s pet.

Even though there are lots of computer games and things that show you what it’s like to care for an animal, these won’t count for this badge. You will need to learn to take care of a real, live animal.

Previous badge requirements

These requirements will be discontinued on 31 January 2019.

How to earn your badge

1. Choose one of these to do:
• Take care of a pet for at least three months. Give it the correct foods, and learn to recognise common illnesses and how to treat them.
• Help to care for a farm animal for at least three months. Know the correct foods to give it and be able to recognise common
  illnesses. Learn what special care you need to give before and after the birth of farm animals.
2. Then choose two of these to do:
• Keep a record of bird, animal or insect life in your garden, local area or park. Keep pictures, sketches, photographs or audio recordings. Do this for at least three months.
• Visit a zoo, wildlife park, animal sanctuary or rescue centre. Find
  out about some of the animals you see. What are their feeding habits and natural habitats?
• Belong to an animal, bird or wildlife society. Either take part in one of its activities or make progress in any award scheme it offers.
• Find out about dangers that threaten wildlife in their natural habitat. Make a poster, collage or drawing or tell other Cub Scouts what you found out.

 

Flexibility

Each young person who participates in the Programme, including badges and awards, should face a similar degree of challenge, and requirements can be adapted according to each young person’s abilities.  For more information and practical tips see our guidance on flexibility