WESTWOOD—This year’s Westwood Public Library Summer Reading Program followed the American Library Association’s theme “Tails and Tales,” with much of the programming surrounding issues related to animals.
One programs offered was the Junior Animal Activists Club, which focused on animal awareness, activism and civic engagement.
Children’s librarian Denise Lester tells Pascack Press the club met weekly for five weeks and followed the the Humane Society of the United States Youth Action Guide.
“We researched the attributes that cause harm and lead to animal harm and endangerment; we researched various organizations and aligned with World Animal Day, an international organization and initiative that promotes animal awareness; and we created a custom bookmark for distribution to the community, ‘10 Things to do for World Animal Day.’”
Finally, the club requested that a proclamation be made by Mayor Raymond Arroyo declaring Oct. 4 World Animal Day in Westwood, following the international day of observance.
At the mayor and council meeting on Sept. 29, Berkeley Elementary School students Emmaline Connelly, Janki Dobariya, Kendall Falk, and Srinika Kakuru were invited to witness the official proclamation of World Animal Day in Westwood.
Most of them were able to attend the reading of a historic Westwood document — it’s the first of its kind in the borough.
The proclamation says in part that “Westwood understands the connection between our treatment of the environment and its effect on animals” and that “Westwood actively participates in measures to promote animal awareness and welfare.”
And it says “All citizens are urged to support efforts to protect our animals and endangered species.”
World Animal Day was established in Berlin on Oct. 4, 1925. The theme this year was “Forests and Livelihoods: Sustaining People and Planet.”
In 2020 it was “Man and Dog.” In 2019 it was “Life Below Water Bodies: For the people and the planet,” with a special focus on life below water.