DANBURY, CONN. — The Western Connecticut State University Roots & Shoots Club and the Jane Goodall Center for Excellence in Environmental Studies will host a series of events to celebrate Animal Week, April 17-20, 2017, on the university’s Midtown campus, 181 White Street in Danbury.

Attendees will hear interesting stories and meet the animals during the four-day event. Controlled petting and touching of selected exotic species is permitted at certain events, all of which are free and open to the public.

April 17: Animal Adventures: This rescue center for abandoned animals, located in Bolton, Massachusetts, will visit the university at noon in Room 201 of the Student Center. Expect to meet the trainer, get up close and personal to tarantulas, hissing cockroaches, ferrets and chinchilla.

April 19: Reptiles on the Move: Reptiles, including an assortment of turtles, snakes, lizards and an alligator, will be on display at noon in Room 201 of the Student Center. A trainer from Reptiles on the Move will discuss each creature.

April 20: Birds of Prey: Several birds of prey will take flight at noon over the Centennial Grove on the Quadrangle of the Midtown campus as a trainer from Talons discusses each bird.

The Jane Goodall Center for Excellence in Environmental Studies fosters service-learning projects for students throughout the community by reaching out to help with after-school programs, animal shelters, environmental organizations and causes, nursing homes and food pantries.

The Roots & Shoots program at WCSU, started by primatologist Dr. Jane Goodall, focuses on making positive change for people, animals and the environment.

For more information, send an email to bissett001@connect.wcsu.edu.

Western Connecticut State University offers outstanding faculty in a range of quality academic programs. Our diverse university community provides students an enriching and supportive environment that takes advantage of the unique cultural offerings of Western Connecticut and New York. Our vision: To be an affordable public university with the characteristics of New England’s best small private universities.