The Dull Side...Paperwork

As adults responsible for children, "insurance" and "liability" are words that pop into our heads. It's no surprise that some paperwork has to be filed before our visits.

In house Checklist
As we promote on all of our platforms, we only bring animals who have proven to be good with children, travel, strange noises and smells. This comes with experience, which I have detailed in our "Animal Practices" post last year. This covers not just my personal experience with animal behavior, but the animals' experience as well. For example, Coby the Corn Snake is going on 18 years old! And he's been great with kids the whole time.

Policies
Should you poke an animal in the face just because I said it won't bite? Should I poke a teacher's face just because I'm confident he/she won't bite? No!
Respect is a foundation of this service. Just because this team of animals can handle stress, doesn't mean we're subjecting them to stress needlessly. We have company polices in place to protect our animals from disrespectful and potentially harmful situations. All educators contracting The Drawing Zoo must read and agree to these safety polices.

BCPS Guidelines
At The Drawing Zoo, we follow the Guidelines for the "Use of Animals, Plants, and Other Organisms in the School Setting and in Outdoor Science Programs" as written by the Baltimore County Public Schools Towson, Maryland Office of Science. This not only ensures another level of safety, but also convenience for the school. You know that our services are compatible with your goals, needs and rules! (http://www.nsta.org/about/positions/animals.aspx). 
Insurance
And as responsible owners, we carry liability insurance and will provide the COI and any additional details that administrators may need.

Letter of recommendation
As and extra seal of validation, I am happy to share the expert opinions on The Drawing Zoo's animals from Dr. Vivian Ho and Technician Darcey Bowen.

Background Check
As the teaching artist who frequents classrooms, I've had my background checks and fingerprinting completed in multiple counties. My receipt is always on my person.

Entertainment Agreement
Some schools request we sign an Entertainment Agreement, which I complete promptly.

It can seem like a lot, but I do my best to make the paperwork quick and painless. I might also add that repeat visits yield an even quicker process. And what dull mornings are spent organizing the proper precautions, are more than made up in these unforgettable, colorful, adventurous lessons!

-Brittany
If you're considering working with The Drawing Zoo please email TheDrawingZoo@gmail.com