 | |
Humane Education Chat Transcript
Joanne Pentangelo, ASPCA Humane Education Specialist—December 7, 2007
This live chat, hosted by Joanne Pentangelo, ASPCA Humane Education Specialist, went out to the mamas and papas—and anyone else interested in educating children about being kind and respectful to animals. Joanne held a fruitful discussion that you’ll find stimulating for you and your kids. After the chat, Joanne sent a message all who joined us:
Thanks for participating in this discussion. I enjoyed hearing your questions, and hope I was able to give you some good answers! Please visit our website: aspcaeducation.org. There is great information there to help make life with your children and pets fulfilling and successful! Thanks again for your time!
—Joanne
And now for the transcript!
I am currently trying to start up a local animal association—just a little club for the locals in my small county to help do their part. I was thinking that this club could go to elementary schools and give speeches on how to take care of animals, and how kids can do their part. What are some good topics to talk to kids about, and what are some situations and stories to avoid? Also, how would it be best to go about getting school permission to do these types of things?
—Kirstin
Wonderful! I love hearing things like this! Some great topics for students are dog bite prevention, pet care, careers and backyard wildlife. Animal cruelty can be a tough topic to discuss with younger students, but can be very appropriate for middle schoolers and up. Spaying, neutering and pet overpopulation are extremely important topics, but can be a little tricky to introduce to little kids and some schools. If you visit our website, aspcaeducation.org, you will see many classroom lessons that you can use or borrow or be inspired by. We are able to get in the doors of schools because our lessons all meet mandated standards—both national standards and local standards. Teachers and administrators are happy to see that students can learn lessons of responsibility and empathy and still meet requirements for lessons in science, math, social studies and English. Again, visit our website and feel free to contact us with your questions. Thanks!
In what ways can children help animal shelters other than volunteering?
—Ramos
There are lots of ways kids can volunteer! How about a neighborhood car wash with proceeds going to a local shelter? Or a blanket and towel drive to donate to shelters (shelters love this one!)? Children can start clubs in their schools to benefit animals, or even volunteer (with parent's permission) to walk an elderly neighbor's pets. There are so many ways to help animals, and children can do a lot more than we give them credit for!
I am in college right now, studying to be a vet, and I am looking for other fields that I could possibly get into. What is your exact job title?
—Denise
My title is Humane Education Specialist. I'm sure it will vary from organization to organization. There are a lot of careers that benefit animals, along with veterinarians! Why, here at the ASPCA, we have lawyers, fund raisers, behaviorists, humane law enforcement officers—there are many, many careers in the animal welfare field. I love the field of humane education. We have the opportunity to teach, write lessons, reach out to the community, educate, inform—the sky's the limit! If you would like further information, go to aspcaeducation.org, and click on “resources” or “animal lessons,” and read the newsletter about careers. Best of luck!
Hi, I currently visit some schools, preschools, and children's events to talk about my parrots and give an educational presentation that covers the rain forest, bird care, character building and earning trust and respect. I have also thought about doing this with my dog or a shelter animal to bring awareness about unwanted pets and what we can do to help. (No different than parrots, who are continually given up because of the lack of people educating themselves about them before one is purchased.)
What is the best way to approach a school to let them know of this opportunity for the kids? I have found some schools are more worried about liability with animals than giving the kids something wonderful they can apply now and later in life.
—Barb
So great to meet another humane educator! Your program sounds wonderful and the students in your community are lucky to have you! One of the best ways to have schools welcome your animals in the classroom is to make sure your animals are registered with an organization like Delta, Good Dog or Therapy Dogs International. Registered animals have gone through testing and training and are often indemnified by the certifying organization. Please visit aspcaeducation.org and see the section on Animal Assisted Therapy. There's some great information in there about the programs. Feel free to email our department at education@aspca.org if you have specific questions, and we can get back to you with more in-depth information. Thanks!
Every time I walk my dog, kids want to pet him. How do I explain the proper way to approach a dog so that kids don't just lunge at him?
—Lisa
Great question, Lisa! Kids need to know how to approach a dog, and now you can be in the position of teaching them! Explain to kids that they not only have to ask your permission to approach your dog, they must ask your dog, too! Tell them to approach politely and extend their hand gently in front of them, with their fingers in a loose fist. Offer your hand to the dog for smelling. He may sniff, he may not. If you deem it okay to proceed, tell them they may pet him gently under his chin, or on his chest. Explain to them that they may scare your dog if they approach him too excitedly.
Hi. Thanks so much for doing this chat. I have a seven-year-old son and a nine-year- old daughter. My husband and I have decided to adopt a puppy. How can we prepare our kids for their "puppy" responsibilities before we bring our new little one home? Thanks!
—Linda
Congratulations on your new addition! Your kids are at a great age and having a puppy is so enriching. I think one of the best ways to prepare your kids for their new responsibilities is to involve them in the adoption decision. A large part of being responsible is making good choices and sticking to them. Children of seven and nine can be a great help in the success of this relationship. As a family, you can develop a responsibility chart, with tasks and jobs for each child. Kids this age can help with feeding, watering, brushing and walking their puppy—however, don't expect too much! Remember, kids can't be depended on for the day-to-day care of the family pet (despite how much they tell you they can!). Books are a great way to share the excitement of your new puppy. There are some great books available—visit aspcaeducation.org. We have a wonderful bibliography of books about animals. Take a look and share some stories with your kids! Best of luck!
My uncle has a boa constrictor, whom he feeds live mice. Should my son see this?
—Joseph
Predators and their prey are part of the cycle of life. Whether we choose to let our kids observe this in full living color (and probably sound) is up to us to decide. Personally, I had a rule in my own home—no pets who have to eat other living creatures! This is a judgment call of yours. There is nothing actually wrong with predators eating their prey—it just goes against my "yuck" factor and I wouldn't have let my children witness this when they were young. I'm not a child psychologist, so I can't speak to the impact witnessing this may have or not have on a child. Again, it’s up to you to decide what your own child can handle.
How do animals help children socially? Do they impact their ability to focus in school and on hobbies?
—Max
Animals can certainly help children develop social skills. Studies involving preschool children show that having pets promotes children's intellectual, motor and social development. Children with pets tend to be more socially adept, want to be more helpful and have higher self esteem and independence than children without pets. Pets are used in classrooms all over the country in reading programs. Petting a dog or cat or other calm, furry animal can help children relax and focus more on reading the story, rather than feeling judged about their reading skills. Our website, aspcaeducation.org, is filled with information and articles you may be interested in reading for more information about this. Thanks for your question!
There are some kids on my block, about 10 or 11, who go around torturing the neighborhood cats. They throw acorns at them, holler, etc. What's the best way to handle this?
—Bill
Well, my first inclination would be to throw things and holler at them back! But that's not really an answer, now, is it? I have encountered that myself, and have often found that it is a lack of understanding or a fear of animals that has caused them to act this way. I would (and I have done this) approach the kids and ask them why they were doing that. I would try to have a conversation with them about their actions and consequences. Then, I would ring their doorbells and tell their parents what they were up to, and gently inform them that abusing animals as a child is a warning sign of potentially more dangerous behavior down the road. I believe in the "it takes a village" approach to children, and think that torturing animals definitely requires us adults to step in and try to help. Thanks!
Do you know if autistic children tend to respond positively to animals? Are animals used as therapy for them?
—Andrea
Certainly some autistic children respond positively to animals. We at the ASPCA have an animal assisted therapy program and we regularly work with children with learning disabilities. Like all children, some will respond better than others to animals. Visit our website, aspcaeducation.org and click on animal assisted therapy for some up-to-the- minute information about this topic!
What are the basic points concerning safety and respect children should learn before interacting with pets on a regular basis, and what is the most effective way to teach them about these issues?
—Lisa
Pets are living creatures and deserve to be safe and respected. Respect for animals can equal respect for all others—great lessons for our children. One of the most effective ways for children to learn about these issues is to have this reinforced in the classroom and at home. Most animal welfare organizations have outreach available to local schools and community groups, and can teach lessons about respect, proper pet care and dog bite prevention. Ask at your child's school for humane education to be integrated into the classroom. Invite a speaker from a local shelter to your school or community group. There are great ways to teach proper interaction with animals, and it can start in the home.
My daughter, who's in second grade, loves the bunny they keep in her classroom. Is this humane?
—Max
Animals in the classroom can be great for students and teachers. Kids learn lessons of respect, life sciences and responsibility. But the most important thing for everyone to remember is that this bunny is a living creature with needs. Teachers need to make sure that the classroom pet is taken care of on breaks, weekends and summers, and that his day-to-day needs are met. Children should understand that their classroom pet may not want to be pet or picked up all the time, and may not like all the noise. As long as the pet is happy and well cared for, and his inclusion in the classroom helps foster learning, it can be a great thing for all! We have some great information about this topic on aspcaeducation.org. Just click “resources.” Thanks for your inquiry!
I'm not a mommy yet, but I hope to be within the next few years. How can I teach my kids that if an animal is only defending herself, there's no need to become afraid of the pet?
—Yvonne
Thanks for a great question, Yvonne. It's good you're thinking ahead, and are taking steps now to avoid any potential problems with your pets and children. You know, modeling appropriate behavior is one of the most important things we can do for our children, and sometimes it's not easy! To avoid misunderstandings and potential bites, you should never leave your children unsupervised around your pets until they are old enough to understand proper behavior. Demonstrate correct behavior around them. Hopefully, you won't have to teach them that their pet is defending herself, because there won't be any bites or scratches! You have to teach them to be gentle and loving and to treat their pets as they would want to be treated themselves. Good luck!
Donate Today
