Last week when my therapy dog, Maddie and I visited the juvenile center, I added something new to my usual humane education talk: I brought in my counseling background and talked to the kids about finding the unconscious positive intention behind their "criminal" behavior. We went on to discuss separating their positive intention from negative behavior; to find a beneficial way to meet that positive intent so they can let go of the behavior that isn't working so well for them or society. As Maddie and I continue our weekly therapy visits to the juvenile center, I can't help but think that widepread humane education programs in schools could really help kids understand the value of kindness to and love for animals; that humane education programs might help decrease the rising incidence of animal cruelty among children. Then I read this post today on the Care 2 blog, and realized we are on the same page regarding humane education:
The Answer to Preventing Animal Abuse: Humane Education?
posted on the Care 2 blog by Megan Drake
"We seem to constantly hear about animal abuse in the news.Philadelphia just reported of a young, female pit bull found hanged on a playground. In Baltimore there seems to be an epidemic of animal abuse amongst the youth, which includes a puppy beaten to death, another dog pelted with stones and yet another set on fire -- just this year alone.
With all the animal abuse happening in the world, there might just be a solution -- humane education. Citizens for a No-Kill Philadelphia provides a Humane Education Program to fifth graders at John Wister Elementary School. CNKP is a group of Philadelphia citizens, led by Garrett Elwood, who have organized with the goal of making Philadelphia a no-kill city by 2018.
One of the many stops along the road to achieving that goal is to educate Philadelphia's youth about kindness toward animals. CNKP reports "Many incidents of animal abuse and neglect occur simply because of ignorance. We feel that our children could make better decisions for the future if only given the proper information on which to base their decisions."
The CNKP Humane Education Program is provided free of charge. Once per month, for the entire school year, Claire Tillman, Program Director, visits fifth graders at John Wister Elementary School.
Teaching Goals include ..." Read the full story here on Care 2
Posted By:
Dawn Kairns
Author of MAGGIE the dog who changed my life
Twitter: themaggiebook
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