Dr. Lindsey Franz and OCHS Vet Assistant Natalee Charlton show the students how to perform an exam on a kitten.
On May 19, Ms. Gibson’s second grade class from Siuslaw Elementary School visited the Oregon Coast Humane Society (OCHS) Veterinary Clinic for a special field trip filled with learning, laughter, and plenty of animal care activities.
Seventeen students, along with their teachers and school volunteers, took part in the visit. It was the first student field trip hosted at the OCHS Veterinary Clinic since the clinic opened in August 2025.
The field trip was planned by Dr. Janel Montes, a relief veterinarian who has worked with OCHS for four years, and Valerie Swensrud, OCHS Community Outreach and Volunteer Coordinator.
During the visit, students got a behind-the-scenes look at the veterinary clinic and rotated through several fun learning stations. At one station, they practiced giving exams to stuffed animals. Then they became pretend surgeons, carefully “operating” to remove hidden objects from their patients, including a spoon and a toy car.
This “patient” had an exam by the students before surgery to remove a foreign object from her stomach.
Students also learned why pet microchips are so important. They used scanners to check stuffed animals for microchips and find out which animal was which, just like veterinary teams do when helping lost pets get back home.
Other stations introduced students to veterinary tools and animal health. Students watched an ultrasound demonstration and learned how veterinarians use ultrasound equipment to look inside an animal’s body. A few students even volunteered their hands for the live demonstration. They also completed coloring activities about animal anatomy and pet health.
One of the favorite moments of the day was a live kitten exam led by volunteer veterinarian Dr. Lindsey Franz and OCHS Veterinary Assistant Natalee Charlton. Students watched closely as the kitten received a wellness exam and asked lots of thoughtful, excited questions along the way.
Our Executive Director, Elizabeth Thompson said, “This field trip was such a wonderful opportunity to connect students with animal care and veterinary medicine in a fun, hands-on way. We are incredibly grateful to the team who created this experience, and the students were absolutely outstanding throughout the visit.”
Educators who are interested in arranging a veterinary clinic field trip for their students can contact Elizabeth Thompson or Valerie Swensrud at (541) 997-4277.
Valerie models the safety gear work for X-rays at the clinic.
The Tasmanian Devil needed surgery, too! Thanks to retired teacher and OCHS volunteer Cindy for helping!