Free Workshops to Protects Pets & People During the Holidays

The holidays are almost here — which means busy homes, more visitors, new smells, decorations everywhere, and lots of excitement. For many pets, all that change can be a LOT to process.

At El Paso Animal Services, we’re highlighting a special series of Holiday Pet Safety Classes to help families get ahead of stress, prevent bites, and support pets in our community this season.

Most dog bites happen inside the home — especially when routines shift and kids are around more — not because pets are “bad,” but because they were trying to communicate that they were uncomfortable, and the humans around them didn’t notice the signs early enough.

As our Education & Outreach Coordinator Jessica Navarro puts it:

When we teach families how to read animal body language, we’re preventing injuries before they happen. The more we understand our pets’ stress signals, the safer everyone is — especially during the holiday season when routines change and visitors come over.

These workshops will walk you through things like:

• Reading early stress signals in dogs & cats
• Understanding pet consent-based handling
• Creating safe “retreat spaces” at home
• Holiday-safe enrichment ideas
• Fun ways to help shelter pets in need

Plus — many of the classes include hands-on building projects like enrichment toys, community cat shelters, and items that directly support animals in our community. You get to learn and give back.

---

Upcoming Class Schedule

---

Register Here

Workshops are open to caregivers, classrooms, homeschool groups, youth groups, and community members of all ages.