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Feed pets: Enrichment

Research your pet’s nutritional needs, create a diet sheet, and design a safe food enrichment activity that encourages natural behaviours and supports their welfare. Best for ages 11 and up.

Last edited: 23/10/2026

Before you get started

Activity toolkit

Items you may need:

  • Paper and pens or a computer to create your diet sheet

  • Your pet's usual food or treats

  • A suitable food enrichment device or materials to make one.

Note: Always check that food and enrichment materials are safe and suitable for your chosen species before use. Ask an adult for help when preparing food or setting up enrichment for a pet.

 

Activity sheet

Pet enrichment

Duke of Edinburgh Worksheet (3 hours)

 

Video

 

Instructions

Enriching your pet's diet

1
1

Make a diet sheet

Design a single-page diet sheet, or download our template in the activity sheet, to include:

  • A picture of the chosen pet animal
  • What to feed the pet and exactly how much, based on their nutritional needs
  • What foods should not be fed to the pet (e.g., foods that are toxic)
  • A list of enrichment ideas that are safe and appropriate for that specific pet (watch the video for inspiration!)

2
2

Demonstrate use of food enrichment

Show how you would prepare a food enrichment device for a pet. This might include:

  • Purchasing or making a food enrichment device (like a puzzle feeder or snuffle mat) and filling it with their food
  • Setting up your food enrichment idea safely inside an animal's enclosure or home environment.

3
3

Benefits for animal welfare

Explore how your chosen food enrichment supports your pet's welfare.

  • Complete the enrichment study on your activity sheet by identifying the natural behaviours you expect your enrichment to encourage and ticking those you observe when your pet uses it (like sniffing, problem-solving, or chewing)
  • How have you ensured the materials and the food are completely safe for this specific species?

celebrate your achievement

Get a practical animal welfare certificate!

Just finished the activity? Upload your evidence and earn your very own Animal Advocacy Certificate!