The Pepino Project is a puppet show designed for the classroom to teach children ages 4-8 how animals wait in shelters for a loving home. It teaches the importance of spaying and neutering your pets. The 3 formats of the Pepino book can be found on Amazon here:

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You will need a Pepino book, a Pepino puppet, a bell, a cage, a fireplace, a biscuit, a basket, a blanket, two bowls for food and water, some silk flowers taped to a fence, a pet store, and a spay and neuter sign. Links to these props can be found here through Amazon. The children can bring extra stuffed dogs and cats from home for the pet store. Have the children set up the puppet show on a long table. Then they can act out the story while someone reads the book. It will have more meaning for them and it’s fun!

After acting out the story, you can play the Chihuahua song, and the kids can jump up and dance before the discussion.

Here is the YouTube link to the song:

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=YfSSzJtOGhA

After reading the Pepino story, teachers can explain to the children that it took Pepino 9 months to get his forever home, which is a whole school year.

They can explain the importance of chipping and tagging their pets, and ask the children what supplies are needed to adopt a new pet.

Talk about spaying and neutering to control the pet population.