Look past the coat
WEEK 1 · OCT 1–7
Black Dog Missions
Start on National Black Dog Day. Pick a black or dark-coated dog and help people look past the coat.
Draw a black dog →Every October · Adopt a Shelter Dog Month
The October Shelter Dog Challenge for Kids
One kid. One shelter dog. One mission. All October, kids help shelter dogs get seen with a letter, a drawing, or a short video story, with a grown-up helping every step of the way.
FreeAll agesFrom home, school, a co-op, or a Scout meeting
Week 1: help Zara get seen
Why October?
A big month for shelter dogs
October brings together several awareness days for dogs who need a second look. The challenge gives kids a simple way to take part in each one.
October 1
National Black Dog Day
Black dogs are just as loving, silly, and loyal as any pup, but they can get overlooked, sometimes because they're hard to photograph.
Kid mission: "Look Past the Coat." Draw a black shelter dog and write three words about their personality.
All month
Adopt a Shelter Dog Month
Every dog in a shelter is waiting for someone to notice them, especially dogs who have been waiting a long time.
Kid mission: Write a Dear Future Family letter in the dog's voice.
All month · 4th Saturday
Pit Bull Awareness Month & Day
Many shelter dogs are pit bull–type dogs, and people often judge them before they meet them.
Kid mission: Record a 20-second Voice for Paws story using facts from the shelter's listing.
About 20–30 minutes
How a mission works
All you need is paper, crayons or a phone, and a grown-up.
Start each week by saying the Paw Promise.
- 1Pick a shelter dog. With a grown-up, choose a dog from Meet the Paws or your local shelter's adoption listing. Read their name, age, and personality.
- 2Choose your mission. Write a letter, create art, speak in a short video, or serve with a supply drive. Only use facts from the shelter's listing.
- 3Share it with a grown-up. Your grown-up sends it to Kids for Paws. We add it to the October count and, with permission, may share it to help the dog get noticed.
Made for kids. Guided by grown-ups.
Parents sign kids upFirst names onlyNo faces without a parent's OKGrown-ups guide every step
A letter for Willow ♥Do one, or one every week
Four weeks of missions
The weekly themes follow October's awareness days. Always check each dog's shelter listing for current availability.
Ole Red is back
WEEK 2 · OCT 8–14
Second Chances
Some dogs wait a long time, and some come back. Make art for a senior, long-stay, or returned dog.
Help Ole Red →
Local heroes
WEEK 3 · OCT 15–21
Local Heroes
Ask a nearby shelter what it needs, then plan a small supply drive or thank-you card project.
Plan a project →
Help Jumbotron get seen
WEEK 4 · OCT 22–31
Pit Bull Missions
Record a short, fact-based Voice for Paws story for a pit bull–type dog. On October 31, we celebrate every dog helped.
Be a voice →Classrooms, co-ops, and Scout troops
A 45-minute group plan
Your group can take on one mission together.
Get the printable Group Leader Kit →
- 10 minWatch a Voice for Paws video and talk about why some dogs, like black dogs and pit bulls, can get overlooked.Empathy, listening
- 10 minEach child or pair picks a dog and writes down three facts from the shelter's listing.Research, reading
- 20 minWrite a Dear Future Family letter or draw the dog's portrait.Persuasive writing, art
- 5 minShare with the group, then a leader sends the work to Kids for Paws.Public speaking, service
Leaders: include your group's name in the email and we'll send a thank-you certificate for your service-hour records.
Schools & groups →
Letters for shelter petsStart today
Join the challenge
Grown-ups, sign up for the free Family Kit and your child can start their first mission today. It takes about five minutes and works for any shelter dog, anywhere.
Send your mission
Email hello@kidsforpaws.com with the subject "October Mission." Include the dog's name, the shelter, a link to the listing, your child's first name and age, and the work.
Mission accepted?For parents and group leaders
Questions about the challenge
What is the October Shelter Dog Challenge for Kids?
It's a free Kids for Paws challenge held every October during Adopt a Shelter Dog Month. Kids pick one shelter dog and complete a mission for that dog, like writing a Dear Future Family letter, making art, recording a short story, or doing a small service project, with a grown-up.
When is National Black Dog Day?
National Black Dog Day is October 1 each year. It was started by animal advocate Colleen Paige to encourage people to look past coat color, since black dogs can get overlooked in shelters. Kids for Paws kicks off the challenge with black dog missions.
When are Pit Bull Awareness Month and Pit Bull Awareness Day?
Pit Bull Awareness Month is observed in October. National Pit Bull Awareness Day is commonly observed on the fourth Saturday in October. During the last week of the challenge, kids can help a pit bull-type dog get seen.
How can kids help shelter dogs in October?
Kids can write a letter in a shelter dog's voice, draw an 'Adopt Me' poster, record a 20-second video story, or help a shelter with a supply drive. Each one is a Kids for Paws mission, and every mission helps one dog get noticed.
Who can join?
Any child, at any age, with a parent, guardian, teacher, or group leader. Families, classrooms, homeschool co-ops, libraries, and Scout troops are all welcome. It's free.
Do we have to use a dog from the Kids for Paws website?
No. You can choose any dog from your local shelter or rescue's official adoption listings. Just use facts from that listing, and remember that the shelter is the official source for whether the dog is still available.
Will my child's work be posted online?
Only with your permission. We use first names only and never show a child's face without a parent's OK. Shelters decide whether and how to use children's work.
Does this count for service hours?
Many schools, homeschool programs, and Scout troops count it. Group leaders can ask us for a thank-you certificate. Check your program's own rules.
Kids for Paws doesn't operate a shelter or handle adoptions. Always check a dog's shelter listing for current availability. Adopt a Shelter Dog Month, National Black Dog Day, and Pit Bull Awareness Month are national observances. Kids for Paws isn't affiliated with the organizations that founded or promote them.