TEACH CHILDREN TO BE KIND TO ANIMALS~Significant correlations between animal abuse, child abuse
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AfSD™(ADVOCATE FOR SAVING DOGS™)
TEACH CHILDREN TO BE KIND TO ANIMALS
“Children taught to extend justice, kindness, and
mercy to animals become more just, kind and considerate in their
relations with each other.
Character
training along these lines will result in men and women of broader
sympathies, more humane, more law-abiding – in every respect more
valuable citizens
When
you teach a child to be kind to animals, you help pave the way to a
brighter future for all living beings. Animals benefit because the next
generation has learned to treat them with respect and compassion,
reducing instances of animal cruelty. Children benefit because learning
about compassion and empathy early in life builds moral character,
reduces violence, and builds a sense of empowerment and responsibility.
And society as a whole benefits when its members are more caring towards each other and the animals who live among us
Unfortunately, not all children are taught to be kind to animals.
This gap may lead them to tease animals or otherwise disregard their
feelings; in the worst cases, it can lead to acts of animal cruelty
Animal
cruelty is a heinous act punishable by law in every state, but in
recent years, there has been increasing recognition of the link between
animal cruelty and violence to other humans as well.
For instance, it’s often the case that children who commit animal
cruelty have witnessed or been victims of abuse themselves: In roughly
one-third of families suffering from domestic abuse, at least one child
has hurt or killed a pet, according to two separate studies cited by the
Humane Society of the United States
Sadly, violence begets more
violence, and those who start off abusing animals often end up abusing
people too. People who deliberately abuse animals are five times more
likely to commit violent crimes against people, four times more likely
to commit property crimes, and three times more likely to have a record
for drug abuse or disorderly conduct than those who don’t, according to a
study by American Humane.
In fact, the FBI
reportedly even uses reports of animal cruelty to assess the potential
threat posed by suspected and known violent criminals
One
solution to ending the violence is humane education, which has recently
begun to be widely recognized as an essential part of childhood
education.
By reaching children early in
life, and focusing on instilling respect and compassion for animals, the
goal is to stop potential abusers before they start
So far, the
results are encouraging: 98 percent of teachers participating in the
Humane Society’s humane education program say that it has increased
their students’ concern about animal welfare. And there are other humane
education programs as well. But even if you’re not a teacher, there are
many things you can do to help teach children to be kind to animals.
The lessons they learn will last a lifetime
~Teach
by example! Children learn much of what they know by watching those
around them, so one of the best ways to teach children is by showing
them that you care about animals. Take good care of your pets, including
spaying and neutering them; involve children in building bird houses or
walking shelter dogs.
Speak out when you see animals being mistreated, and encourage children to do the same
~Volunteer to visit a classroom, club or other group of children and talk to kids about kindness to animals.
Many local animal shelters and humane societies already have programs
in place for humane education, so it’s a good idea to start by talking
to them first
Humane Education Links
Thanks Kindness of Strangers Kucinich Rocks!
Thanks Kindness of Strangers Kucinich Rocks!
The National Humane Education Society
Virtual School Library/Humane Education
Why Sport Hunting Is Cruel and Unnecessary
Significant correlations between animal abuse, child abuse
The National Link Coalition
Over
the past 25 years, researchers and professionals in a variety of human
services and animal welfare disciplines have established significant
correlations between animal abuse, child abuse and neglect, domestic
violence, elder abuse and other forms of violence. For example,
mistreating animals is a warning sign that others in the household may
not be safe.
The National Link Coalition
is here to increase awareness of it and stop the cycle of violence that
often affects multiple family members. To achieve this critical goal,
we need your help
Please join me at Friendburst
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