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Santa Clarita Youth Probation ‘Kitten Academy’ Program Celebrates Feline Graduates

The “Kitten Academy” is an eight-week program utilized by a Santa Clarita youth probation camp that emphasizes the impact of the human-animal bond upon both emotional and mental well-being.


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The program teaches probation youth responsibility and new skills pertaining to animal care, as well as an appreciation and understanding of animal behavior, by raising kittens, according to officials.

The academy is hosted at Camp Joseph Scott off of Bouquet Canyon Road in Saugus, the only all-girls probation juvenile residential treatment facility in Los Angeles County.

On Jan. 17, L.A. County Fifth District Supervisor Kathryn Barger was joined by kittens “Knight” and “Winter” as she expressed her support for the Kitten Academy and saluted the team of professionals dedicated to making the program a success for the girls of Camp Joseph Scott and the kittens.

“This unique opportunity allows young women at Camp Scott in the Santa Clarita Valley to foster kittens in preparation for adoption,” said Barger. “This gives the girls on probation the chance to learn meaningful lessons about responsibility while also having a lot of fun doing it.”

The program was launched in November 2018 as a collaboration between the Los Angeles County Probation Department, Department of Animal Care and Control (DACC), Department of Mental Health, Public Health, Los Angeles County Office of Education and Juvenile Court Health Services.

Supervisor Katheryn Barger and Chief Probation Officer Terri McDonald with kitten “Winter”
Photo courtesy of County of Los Angeles Probation Department

Kitten Academy pairs kittens in need of foster homes with youth on probation to care for them. The young people provide kittens with the nurturing they need until a forever home is found and each kitten has graduated from the academy, according to officials.

“I’m excited to celebrate one (of) our cutest county programs with the help of many of our departments. We are proud to honor the compassionate work of the Kitten Academy,” said Barger.

The kittens cared for at Camp Scott are too young to be placed in animal shelters and require special care and nurturing, according to officials.

The girls learn how to feed, groom, handle and socialize kittens that are as young as four weeks old with the help of the Animal Care and Control’s staff and volunteers. The youth are also responsible for monitoring the kitten’s weight and behavior and journal about their experiences.

In addition to teaching responsible behavior, the Kitten Academy is also meant to provide the girls with training to one day possibly work in an animal-related field.

“It’s just as much of a growing experience for the women as it is for the kittens. As the kittens grow, the young women are able to thrive empathetically and rehabilitate emotionally,” said Barger.

Sheila Mitchell, chief deputy probation officer for Juvenile Services, believes that programs like these provide youth with therapeutic interpersonal skills necessary to successfully function in society upon their release from juvenile camp.

“The girls are taught a variety of positive moral attributes, such as compassion, selflessness, patience and reliability, that will bode well for them upon their exit from juvenile camp,” said Mitchell. “The kittens, who might otherwise face euthanasia, receive personal attention, nurturing and ultimately a loving home. The program is a win-win for all involved.”

Kitten Academy at L.A. County Probation’s Camp Joseph Scott
Photo courtesy of County of Los Angeles Probation Department

DACC Director Marcia Mayeda expressed her enthusiasm with the collaboration between county agencies to help prepare the youth for a career and the kittens for adoption.

“The Kitten Academy saves the lives of vulnerable kittens while teaching valuable skills to young women in an educational and supportive environment,” said Mayeda. “The opportunities for expansion and replication of its success are tremendous, and we look forward to seeing this program flourish.”

The next litter of Kitten Academy kittens is expected to be ready for adoption in February 2019.

To adopt a kitten or any animal that needs a home from the Los Angeles County Department of Animal Care and Control, call 562-940-6898 or visit animalcare.lacounty.gov.

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Santa Clarita Youth Probation ‘Kitten Academy’ Program Celebrates Feline Graduates

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About Jade Aubuchon

A Santa Clarita native, Jade has spent her whole life involved in community outreach. After graduating from Learning Post High in 2015, she went on to College of the Canyons to pursue a double major in English and Marketing. Jade spent several years as a ballroom dance performer for a local studio and has performed at public and private events throughout Santa Clarita. As KHTS Co-News Director Jade oversees the KHTS news team, which covers all the latest news impacting Santa Clarita. Along with covering and writing her own news stories, Jade can be heard broadcasting the daily local news every weekday morning and afternoon drive-time twice an hour on KHTS 98.1FM and AM-1220. Jade is also instrumental in reporting on-the-scene local emergencies, covering them on-air and via Facebook Live and YouTube. Another dimension to Jade’s on-air skills and writing are her regular political and celebrity interviews, including her bi-monthly interview with our Congressman Mike Garcia and many other local politicians and community leaders.