Remember .that special pet you had when ( you were growing up? He was always your Best ef Frienas friend-whether you were happy or sad, kind ot unkind, neat or messy. He was Volume 8, No. 3/September 1984 always willing to share your games, dreams, and feelings. You'll never forget the animal friend who shared your childhood. INSIDE. • • Pet Problems at Home: Pet Problems in the Community 3 Most community pet problems begin in the home-with irresponsible owners. This mini unit is designed to make youngsters more aware of the impact that their actions have on pets and on people. Helping Children Help Animals Kind News Editor Vicki Parker presents the 12 information you need to help youngsters start their The Cover own kindness club-and keep it going. Page3 Everyone loves baby animals. But Making Humane Education a Reality: 18 pet overpopulation is a major The 1984 Humane Education Teacher problem facing communities of the Year nationwide. There are far too many NAAHE honors the accomplishments of the pets and far too few homes for winner and four finalists of the 1984 Humane (_ them, resulting in the euthanizing of Education Teacher of the Year award. over 13 million unwanted animals each year. Teaching about the need Parties With a Purpose: Classroom 23 to control pet breeding is one Parties That Teach About Animals answer. Our cover is by artist Classroom parties with a humane education focus Barbara Morrissey of New Haven, can be an effective teaching tool. Author Christine PagelS Connecticut. Donovan provides readers with suggestions for parties that blend appreciation for animals with learning activities throughout the year. Kathleen J. Savesky, NAAHE Director; Willow Ann Soltow, Editor, Geraldine Jeffrey, Editorial Assistant; Barbara Dolce, Office Manager; William DeRosa, Also These Features .•. Research Associate; Vicki Parker, Kind News Edi­ tor; Board of Directors; John A. Hoyt, Murdaugh S. NAAHE Editorial 2 Madden, Patrick B. Parkes, Paul G. Irwin. © 1984, Copy Masters 7 The National Association for the Advancement of Humane Education, all rights reserved. HUMANE A Cat Without a Home: EDUCATION is published quarterly by the National A Read-Along Story 10 Association for the Advancement of Humane Edu­ That's the kind of memory you'd like your cation, a division of The Humane Society of the Happenings 14 United States. Editorial offices and association The HSUS 1984 Annual Conference: headquarters: NAAHE, Norma Terris Humane Ed­ students to have one day. Teaching ucation Center, Box 362, East Haddam, CT 06423. A Bonus for Humane Educators 17 humane values isn't always easy. Yet HUMANE EDUCATION welcomes unsolicited manu­ scripts, photos, and artwork. Materials will not be Research in Review 22 anyone involved in humane education returned unless accompanied by a sell-addressed, Humane Education Calendar 26 stamped envelope. Memberships, renewals, and knows it's worth the effort. Long after changes of address: NAAHE, 2100 L Street, NW, Humane Education Film Reviews 28 Washington, DC 20037. Annual member's dues: $10; What's a Picture Worth? Back Cover your students have forgotten grammar Organizational membership dues: $25. NAAHE mem­ bership dues are tax deductible to the extent per­ rules and history dates, they will continue mitted by law. Permission is granted to educators to reproduce with proper credit any page designated Symbols to help you better identify the most appropriate grade levels for lessons: to relate to animals. When you help as a Humane Education Copy Master as well as Clip Art drawings, mini posters, and other pages students build appreciation and respect so indicated. Reproduction in whole or in part in any form or format of any other material in this for all creatures, you enable them to issue is prohibited without permission of the create their .own positive relationships publisher. Generally, permission will be granted to organizations and individuals who are working to with animals and to begin building prevent cruelty to animals. Write NAAHE Permis­ sions, Box 362, East Haddam, CT 06423. Design by memories that they, too, will treasure for Wendy H. Walden, Guilford, Connecticut. Printing by Allied Printing Services, Inc., Manchester, Con­ a lifetime.\? · necticut, ISSN #0149-8061. EARLY CHILDHOOD PRIMARY INTERMEDIATE JUNIOR HIGH _j NAAHE ED ITO RIAL ;=======~===::::::::::::1 et problems in the community­ who's responsible for them? Often we blame the badly behaved pet, the person who complains about the pet's behavior, or the animal control officer who must deal with the consequences of ~ that behavior. Yet the responsibility for a "E An Attempt E pet's conduct really belongs to someone 0 Q else. It belongs to the pet's owner. -; Community pet problems frequently .<::" -,0 at Definition begin with pet problems at home. Often, I L"""'-""'-"'-_.__- pets develop "problem" behavior-or Director Kathy Savesky behavior that is inconsistent with their owners' wishes-when the pets' needs are not met. An owner, for instance, may fail to recognize an animal's need for companionship. The pet may react by In our travels throughout the country and our Although animal-related activities comprise most of exhibiting such attention-getting behavior frequent correspondence with educators, we at NAAHE the content of humane education lessons, not all lessons as barking or howling. Neglected pets encounter a variety of misunderstandings about the involving animals can be considered humane education. often display disruptive behavior, sensing goals and definition of humane education. School Activities that present animals simply as tools for perhaps that negative response from their officials often confuse the topic with other popular and human study or define an animal's value only in terms owners is better than no response at all. sometimes related "educations" such as humanistic of its worth to humans are inconsistent with the goal of One of the most commonly overlooked education or environmental education. Others think of developing respect for the inherent value (and rights) of needs of pets is consistent training. Pets humane education as simply presenting children with a animals. In addition, activities that incidentally injure may not understand our language, but set of rules for right and wrong behavior toward or cause stress for animals in the name of building they respond to our behavior patterns. If animals. Still others perceive humane education only in appreciation or understanding can actually teach the an owner corrects a dog for barking one terms of content: If a lesson teaches about animals, it opposite of the intended lesson. day, and neglects to correct it for the must be humane education. Although each of these At NAAHE, our programs and materials reflect the same offense the following day, the dog misconceptions relates directly or indirectly to some following definition of humane education, found in the receives a mixed message. aspect of our work, none fully defines the scope and introduction to People & Animals: A Humane Education When an owner makes a pet objectives of what humane education can and should be. Curriculum Guide: choice that is inconsistent with his Humane education, like humanistic education, is Humane education involves far more than the or her needs, problems can arise for concerned with all human values. And as in teaching of simple animal-related content. It is a the pet and the owner. Many environmental education, we are concerned with helping process through which we (1) assist children in prospective owners are unrealistic young people recognize their relationships with the developing compassion, a sense of justice, and a about the time and money they will delicate ecosystem that supports all life on our planet. respect for the value of all living creatures; (2) have to spend on a pet. Or they Yet our goals in humane education differ from these provide the knowledge and understanding necessary choose a favorite breed without other areas in that they focus specifically on those for children to behave according to these considering factors such as available values and understandings that lead to compassionate principles; and (3) foster a sense of responsibility living space and their life-style. All and responsible behavior toward nonhuman as well as on the part of children to affirm and act upon too often when a pet develops poor human animals and toward the environment we all share. their personal beliefs. habits, the owner reacts by doing A primary goal of humane education is certainly to We invite HUMANE EDUCATION readers to use or what is easiest-putting the pet outdoors, help young people develop a system of humane ethics adapt this definition to clarify what is meant by allowing it to roam. Finally, many pets that will enable them to determine appropriate and humane education for those unfamiliar with our field. PET PROBLEMS AT HOME: are victims of the "freedom" attitude­ inappropriate behavior toward animals (and each In addition, we welcome your use of the long-term the mistaken notion that pets have a need other). However, lessons that simply dictate "kindness objectives established in the definition to provide PET PROBLEMS or a right to roam. One of the most rules" for children to absorb fail to address the facts direction in planning future humane education activities important humane education lessons your and understandings upon which compassionate behavior for your classroom or shelter. \1 students can assimilate is that free-roaming is based and fall short of helping young people form IN THE COMMUNITY pets cause problems for everyone-for lasting and workable systems for making ethical by Willow Soltow people in the community; for other animals, decisions. True humane education objectives focus on domestic and wild; for the pet itself. In increasing knowledge and understanding, developing The content of the September issue of Kind News, NAAHE's children's addition, unaltered, free-roaming pets appreciation and positive attitudes, and promoting contribute to the ever-growing numbers critical thinking based on these attitudes and publication, relates to the theme of this article.