"Very little of the great cruelty shown by men can really be attributed to cruel instinct. Most of it comes from thoughtlessness or inherited habit. The roots of cruelty, therefore, are not so much strong as widespread. But the time must come when inhumanity protected by custom and thoughtlessness will succumb before humanity championed by thought. Let us work that this time may come."
This "humanity championed by thought" is the goal of humane education. For the past couple of months, we've looked at the link between cruelty to animals and violence against humans. Educators for Animal Rights, however, suggests that the opposite is also true: When children learn compassion toward animals, this attitude transfers over into human relationships. In addition, research shows that the way adolescents care for pets transfers to the way they will later care for their children.
Most animal organizations engage in some type of humane education. Some may simply pass out brochures on various topics, such as the importance of spay/neuter, proper veterinary care, and ways to prevent or cure problem behaviors. Others publish informative articles on their web sites and in newsletters. Some organizations have gone further and developed innovative programs to reach children and adolescents, and, by extension, the general public.
Every year, Pasado Safe Haven plays host to hundreds of school children, some from Seattle's inner city or from special education classes. While at Pasado, the children learn the importance of compassion from the best teachers of all, the animals themselves. And speaking of teachers, the ones who accompany the children learn these lessons of compassion, as well. When school children leave Pasado, they often become "Kids for Kows" by thinking up creative ways to raise money for the Pasado animals. The students at one school went door-to-door in their neighborhoods and collected over $800! A first grade class at another school sold freezer pops to raise money. These efforts not only helped the animals, but reinforced the lessons the children learned during their visit to Pasado.
PetShare, an organization near Houston, TX, sponsors "Kayla's Club," an after-school program in which kids engage in such activities as visiting wildlife rehabbers, learning humane dog training methods, and collecting supplies for animal shelters. PetShare also works with Harris County Animal Control and Harris County Juvenile Probation to teach at-risk youths to train shelter dogs to increase their chances of being adopted.
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