Animal Welfare Professionals

A few months ago, we asked you what types of resources you need and @ERIN ELLIS suggested education programs and resources. This has been a popular topic of discussion so this month our resource drive is focused on Humane Education.

What is Humane Education?

It's the ultimate "pay it forward" -- teaching today's youth about empathy and compassion towards animals to make the world a better place in the future!

From HEART's website: "Humane Education teaches kindness, develops empathy, and cultivates compassion toward animals, people, and the natural world. Students gain the knowledge and tools to make more informed and socially responsible choices that counteract real-world problems. Humane Education is Animal Protection + Social Justice + Environmental Ethics."

From HSUS HumanePro: "From reading to shelter pets, to supervised, hands-on animal care, good humane education programs-no matter how small or grassroots-can gift the next generation with the knowledge and experience to become kind, compassionate pet owners and animal advocates. Tomorrow's humanitarians are in today's classrooms." 

 

How to Participate in this Resource Drive

1. UPLOAD OR SHARE Humane Education examples & resources on this thread

2. REPLY with a request for a specific Humane Education resource you NEED or a question related to Humane Education

 

What Should You Share?

• Tell us about Humane Education programs at your organization (or another) including camps, tours, field trips, school programs, community programs, career days, youth volunteer programs, virtual programs, special events, etc.  

• Share examples of handouts, activities, projects, marketing materials, camp/program materials, and anything else you use in your (or another organization's) Humane Education programs. 

 

Where Will the Humane Education Resources be Stored? How do I view them? 

All Humane Education-related resources shared on this thread will be accessible in the "Humane Education" folder in Maddie's Pet Forum Library:  https://maddies.fund/humaneeducationresources

 

🤑  Share & You'll Be Entered To Win $50  🤑

Everyone who uploads a file, shares a resource on this thread or replies with information or questions about Humane Education during the month of August 2023 will be entered to win a $50 gift card to Amazon, Petco or PetSmart (winner's choice). Start sharing now!

 

Pro-Tips for sharing resources: 

• Use the "Upload File" button when replying to this thread to attach a file. We encourage you to attach the file versus hyperlinking to the file whenever possible. Files that are attached get automatically added to the Maddie's Pet Forum Resource Library so attaching helps make the resource searchable and improves accessibility within the forum.

• Yes, you can share resources that your organization did not create. Sharing is caring and this applies to resources too! Make sure the creator allows the resource to be shared publicly and be sure to give credit to the creator or source organization.

#CommunityPartnerships*
#EducationandTraining
#PeopleManagement(includingVolunteerIntegration)
#CommunityPartnerships*
#EducationandTraining
#PeopleManagement(includingVolunteerIntegration)

------------------------------
Kim Domerofski (she/her)
Community Manager
Maddie's Fund
------------------------------

The Life of Kai was created to instill and uplift the human-animal bond. We achieve this through 5 programs including our humane education program - Kind is Cool. In addition to being a trainer, I am also a certified humane educator through Red Rover and we use their reading curriculum with some modifications when necessary. This summer, we were invited to work with Davis Kids Kamp for 5 weeks and we were thrilled and honored to inspire 150 underserved kids to be kind. 

The first week, we read "Max talks to me." The children discovered the remarkable truth: dogs, just like themselves, can communicate and experience a wide range of emotions. We briefly talked about body language.  We hope this revelation urges them to treat all creatures with love and respect. For the activity, they made an origami dog face. 

In the second week, they experienced sadness, joy, and compassion as they listened to Ginger's story (Ginger Finds a Home), a stray cat who found solace in a loving home. They made a tabby cat out of paper plates gluing cut-out ears, nose, and whiskers.

In the third week, we embarked on an exhilarating exploration of acceptance and celebrating diversity. The children heard a story about bullying with an alpaca and a llama and learned a valuable life lesson: our differences make us truly special and deserving of love and acceptance. (Macca, the Alpaca). For the activity, they used wool to make pompoms.

We prepare to introduce the magnificent pandas to our young explorers in our fourth week. These gentle giants hold the key to understanding our planet's delicate balance and the vital role they play in its health. We will delve into why protecting these incredible creatures from the brink of extinction is crucial, nurturing within the children a profound sense of responsibility towards our environment and its inhabitants. (The Giant Pandas). The kids made Pandas masks out of paper plates.

For the final week, we regaled them with the heartwarming tale of Murphy, the resilient seal who faced adversity and found solace in the compassionate embrace of kind-hearted humans. This story is a poignant reminder that being a good steward of the Earth and its animals is integral to kindness and empathy. (Murphy, the seal.) Instead of doing an activity, the children watched a short video of a real-life rescue of an injured seal on Youtube.

At the heart of our program, Kind is Cool, lies the desire to challenge and inspire children to feel and be kind to themselves, animals, pets, and the world they inhabit. Our mission is to instill within them a deep-rooted sense of compassion, resilience, and environmental consciousness that will guide them through their life journey with the hope they will make better citizens for the planet and its society.

This year we decided to skip out on the certificate and instead, the students reflected on what they learned and took a pledge. They were inducted into the Kind Kids Club and got a button which we feel is more fun to get than the certificate. 

------------------------------
Julielani Chang
The Life of Kai: Compassion Connections Inc.
Davis CA
------------------------------

Humane education and animal welfare is extremely important to me. I am a retired CVT and ACO and relocated to a state in the south about 5 years ago. (Culture shock for a Rocky Mound girl). What suggestions, resources, strategies and methods does anyone have for me as an individual to try and implement not only at the community level but possibly state as well to raise awareness of these subjects.
Working in conjunction with the local code enforcement and shelter volunteer group is not an option.

------------------------------
Patricia Mount
CVT/ACO
retired
------------------------------

Hi Patricia, 

I'm so glad you asked this question. As a person who was raised in the South by NJ transplants, I feel a special kinship with the folks I work with every day in Florida. The South gets a bad rap and so often in animal welfare I see/hear my colleagues make remarks that denigrate Southerners or refer to us as people who "just don't know any better" when in reality - we know what needs to be done, we just need help making it happen. I once heard a podcast interview where the person running the NY organization said that people in the South "just don't care about their animals the same way that we do" which simply broke my heart. I've run vaccine clinics where people stand outside in the sun for hours just to get their pets the care they need, or had them wait in line just to get a bag of dog food. You can't convince me that Southerners care less, but if you acknowledge that they are up against unique challenges (increased pet populations due to warmer climates, year-round exposure to heartworm, a seemingly never-ending kitten season, increased levels of human poverty), then you'll start to see things through our lens. 

There is no tool or website that will serve you better than simply meeting people where they are. I guarantee you that someone in your community is doing the good work that you want to see. Pair up with that person. Ask what they need. If you want to look into state options, try reaching out to Best Friends Animal Society. If you use their national dashboard, you can sign up for alerts of actions and steps to take in your state. I'm a big advocate of ditching the word "education" and thinking of yourself as a partner or extension of the community. People rarely need education, more often they just need patience, compassion and resources. 

Here is a link to the Best Friends dashboard so you can find your state. 

I hope this helps you in some way! Thank you for wanting to be part of the solution after your many years of dedicated service to animals. 

-- Lindsay

------------------------------
Lindsay Layendecker
Director of Community Partnerships
Jacksonville Humane Society
------------------------------

Original Message:
Sent: 08-02-2023 06:20 AM
From: Patricia Mount
Subject: August 2023 Resource Drive: Humane Education Resources

Humane education and animal welfare is extremely important to me. I am a retired CVT and ACO and relocated to a state in the south about 5 years ago. (Culture shock for a Rocky Mound girl). What suggestions, resources, strategies and methods does anyone have for me as an individual to try and implement not only at the community level but possibly state as well to raise awareness of these subjects.
Working in conjunction with the local code enforcement and shelter volunteer group is not an option.

------------------------------
Patricia Mount
CVT/ACO
retired
------------------------------

Thank you Lindsay! This will be very helpful I really appreciate the information. I myself have come across people in the area that really do care about their pets as well! I think as well that trying to be aware of the unique challenges people face not only geographically, financially (particularly in an impoverished area) as well as what resources are or aren't available within a community are definitely key factors in aiding an increase awareness of these vital topics 

------------------------------
Patricia Mount
CVT/ACO
retired
------------------------------

Original Message:
Sent: 08-02-2023 11:47 AM
From: Lindsay Layendecker
Subject: August 2023 Resource Drive: Humane Education Resources

Hi Patricia, 

I'm so glad you asked this question. As a person who was raised in the South by NJ transplants, I feel a special kinship with the folks I work with every day in Florida. The South gets a bad rap and so often in animal welfare I see/hear my colleagues make remarks that denigrate Southerners or refer to us as people who "just don't know any better" when in reality - we know what needs to be done, we just need help making it happen. I once heard a podcast interview where the person running the NY organization said that people in the South "just don't care about their animals the same way that we do" which simply broke my heart. I've run vaccine clinics where people stand outside in the sun for hours just to get their pets the care they need, or had them wait in line just to get a bag of dog food. You can't convince me that Southerners care less, but if you acknowledge that they are up against unique challenges (increased pet populations due to warmer climates, year-round exposure to heartworm, a seemingly never-ending kitten season, increased levels of human poverty), then you'll start to see things through our lens. 

There is no tool or website that will serve you better than simply meeting people where they are. I guarantee you that someone in your community is doing the good work that you want to see. Pair up with that person. Ask what they need. If you want to look into state options, try reaching out to Best Friends Animal Society. If you use their national dashboard, you can sign up for alerts of actions and steps to take in your state. I'm a big advocate of ditching the word "education" and thinking of yourself as a partner or extension of the community. People rarely need education, more often they just need patience, compassion and resources. 

Here is a link to the Best Friends dashboard so you can find your state. 

I hope this helps you in some way! Thank you for wanting to be part of the solution after your many years of dedicated service to animals. 

-- Lindsay

------------------------------
Lindsay Layendecker
Director of Community Partnerships
Jacksonville Humane Society
------------------------------


Original Message:
Sent: 08-02-2023 06:20 AM
From: Patricia Mount
Subject: August 2023 Resource Drive: Humane Education Resources

Humane education and animal welfare is extremely important to me. I am a retired CVT and ACO and relocated to a state in the south about 5 years ago. (Culture shock for a Rocky Mound girl). What suggestions, resources, strategies and methods does anyone have for me as an individual to try and implement not only at the community level but possibly state as well to raise awareness of these subjects.
Working in conjunction with the local code enforcement and shelter volunteer group is not an option.

------------------------------
Patricia Mount
CVT/ACO
retired

Lindsay,

I couldn't agree more. We are in a very rural area of S. Florida and see/hear the same things. Our rescue is a little different, we take in farm and exotic animals, many of which end up staying at our sanctuary for life. It is not easy finding a home for a pot belly/wild boar mix pig, for example. We believe the key is definitely education and working with other rescues and the community.

I think this is a great idea for a resource. Currently our on site education program is on hold due to damages from hurricane Ian but we have two onsite programs. One is basically a classroom setting where kids can make bird and small animal toys. The other is  in the form of a teen volunteer program we call Teenworks. we work with local school service groups who come out to the farm and learn every aspect of the animals caer and about animal enrichment. We also attend events with our animal ambassadors and have printed activity pages for kids that were created by one of our volunteers. We recently started a pet food bank program for local residents who may be facing giving up their dogs, cats, rabbits etc. due to financial reasons. Along with giving out food and supplies we hand out educational flyers (Oxbow has great small animal info sheets) and microchip chip vouchers that are supplied by another local rescue.  We are working to find a partner to offer free or reduced spay and neuter.  I've attached some of our kids activity pages as examples. 

------------------------------
Lisa Burn
Co-founder/VP
Farmhouse Animal & Nature Sanctuary
Myakka City, FL
https://farmhousesanctuary.org
------------------------------

Original Message:
Sent: 08-02-2023 11:47 AM
From: Lindsay Layendecker
Subject: August 2023 Resource Drive: Humane Education Resources

Hi Patricia, 

I'm so glad you asked this question. As a person who was raised in the South by NJ transplants, I feel a special kinship with the folks I work with every day in Florida. The South gets a bad rap and so often in animal welfare I see/hear my colleagues make remarks that denigrate Southerners or refer to us as people who "just don't know any better" when in reality - we know what needs to be done, we just need help making it happen. I once heard a podcast interview where the person running the NY organization said that people in the South "just don't care about their animals the same way that we do" which simply broke my heart. I've run vaccine clinics where people stand outside in the sun for hours just to get their pets the care they need, or had them wait in line just to get a bag of dog food. You can't convince me that Southerners care less, but if you acknowledge that they are up against unique challenges (increased pet populations due to warmer climates, year-round exposure to heartworm, a seemingly never-ending kitten season, increased levels of human poverty), then you'll start to see things through our lens. 

There is no tool or website that will serve you better than simply meeting people where they are. I guarantee you that someone in your community is doing the good work that you want to see. Pair up with that person. Ask what they need. If you want to look into state options, try reaching out to Best Friends Animal Society. If you use their national dashboard, you can sign up for alerts of actions and steps to take in your state. I'm a big advocate of ditching the word "education" and thinking of yourself as a partner or extension of the community. People rarely need education, more often they just need patience, compassion and resources. 

Here is a link to the Best Friends dashboard so you can find your state. 

I hope this helps you in some way! Thank you for wanting to be part of the solution after your many years of dedicated service to animals. 

-- Lindsay

------------------------------
Lindsay Layendecker
Director of Community Partnerships
Jacksonville Humane Society
------------------------------


Original Message:
Sent: 08-02-2023 06:20 AM
From: Patricia Mount
Subject: August 2023 Resource Drive: Humane Education Resources

Humane education and animal welfare is extremely important to me. I am a retired CVT and ACO and relocated to a state in the south about 5 years ago. (Culture shock for a Rocky Mound girl). What suggestions, resources, strategies and methods does anyone have for me as an individual to try and implement not only at the community level but possibly state as well to raise awareness of these subjects.
Working in conjunction with the local code enforcement and shelter volunteer group is not an option.

------------------------------
Patricia Mount
CVT/ACO
retired

As a born and bred Southerner and life long "rescuer"...I have to agree. Animal welfare doesn't seem to be a high priority...or even "mid-level" from my observations.

------------------------------
ANDI ELLIOTT
Founder/President
FOR THE LOVE OF PETS FOUNDATION INC
------------------------------

Original Message:
Sent: 08-02-2023 11:47 AM
From: Lindsay Layendecker
Subject: August 2023 Resource Drive: Humane Education Resources

Hi Patricia, 

I'm so glad you asked this question. As a person who was raised in the South by NJ transplants, I feel a special kinship with the folks I work with every day in Florida. The South gets a bad rap and so often in animal welfare I see/hear my colleagues make remarks that denigrate Southerners or refer to us as people who "just don't know any better" when in reality - we know what needs to be done, we just need help making it happen. I once heard a podcast interview where the person running the NY organization said that people in the South "just don't care about their animals the same way that we do" which simply broke my heart. I've run vaccine clinics where people stand outside in the sun for hours just to get their pets the care they need, or had them wait in line just to get a bag of dog food. You can't convince me that Southerners care less, but if you acknowledge that they are up against unique challenges (increased pet populations due to warmer climates, year-round exposure to heartworm, a seemingly never-ending kitten season, increased levels of human poverty), then you'll start to see things through our lens. 

There is no tool or website that will serve you better than simply meeting people where they are. I guarantee you that someone in your community is doing the good work that you want to see. Pair up with that person. Ask what they need. If you want to look into state options, try reaching out to Best Friends Animal Society. If you use their national dashboard, you can sign up for alerts of actions and steps to take in your state. I'm a big advocate of ditching the word "education" and thinking of yourself as a partner or extension of the community. People rarely need education, more often they just need patience, compassion and resources. 

Here is a link to the Best Friends dashboard so you can find your state. 

I hope this helps you in some way! Thank you for wanting to be part of the solution after your many years of dedicated service to animals. 

-- Lindsay

------------------------------
Lindsay Layendecker
Director of Community Partnerships
Jacksonville Humane Society
------------------------------


Original Message:
Sent: 08-02-2023 06:20 AM
From: Patricia Mount
Subject: August 2023 Resource Drive: Humane Education Resources

Humane education and animal welfare is extremely important to me. I am a retired CVT and ACO and relocated to a state in the south about 5 years ago. (Culture shock for a Rocky Mound girl). What suggestions, resources, strategies and methods does anyone have for me as an individual to try and implement not only at the community level but possibly state as well to raise awareness of these subjects.
Working in conjunction with the local code enforcement and shelter volunteer group is not an option.

------------------------------
Patricia Mount
CVT/ACO
retired

Thanks for this perspective, Lindsay! As a Georgia native, I agree, Southerners get way more negativity and accusations about animal care than we deserve. People forget (or just don't know) that we have some of the most well-respected animal welfare organizations in the world here -- including Jax Humane!! 

------------------------------
Shari Cahill
silvercometawa.org
------------------------------

Original Message:
Sent: 08-02-2023 11:47 AM
From: Lindsay Layendecker
Subject: August 2023 Resource Drive: Humane Education Resources

Hi Patricia, 

I'm so glad you asked this question. As a person who was raised in the South by NJ transplants, I feel a special kinship with the folks I work with every day in Florida. The South gets a bad rap and so often in animal welfare I see/hear my colleagues make remarks that denigrate Southerners or refer to us as people who "just don't know any better" when in reality - we know what needs to be done, we just need help making it happen. I once heard a podcast interview where the person running the NY organization said that people in the South "just don't care about their animals the same way that we do" which simply broke my heart. I've run vaccine clinics where people stand outside in the sun for hours just to get their pets the care they need, or had them wait in line just to get a bag of dog food. You can't convince me that Southerners care less, but if you acknowledge that they are up against unique challenges (increased pet populations due to warmer climates, year-round exposure to heartworm, a seemingly never-ending kitten season, increased levels of human poverty), then you'll start to see things through our lens. 

There is no tool or website that will serve you better than simply meeting people where they are. I guarantee you that someone in your community is doing the good work that you want to see. Pair up with that person. Ask what they need. If you want to look into state options, try reaching out to Best Friends Animal Society. If you use their national dashboard, you can sign up for alerts of actions and steps to take in your state. I'm a big advocate of ditching the word "education" and thinking of yourself as a partner or extension of the community. People rarely need education, more often they just need patience, compassion and resources. 

Here is a link to the Best Friends dashboard so you can find your state. 

I hope this helps you in some way! Thank you for wanting to be part of the solution after your many years of dedicated service to animals. 

-- Lindsay

------------------------------
Lindsay Layendecker
Director of Community Partnerships
Jacksonville Humane Society
------------------------------


Original Message:
Sent: 08-02-2023 06:20 AM
From: Patricia Mount
Subject: August 2023 Resource Drive: Humane Education Resources

Humane education and animal welfare is extremely important to me. I am a retired CVT and ACO and relocated to a state in the south about 5 years ago. (Culture shock for a Rocky Mound girl). What suggestions, resources, strategies and methods does anyone have for me as an individual to try and implement not only at the community level but possibly state as well to raise awareness of these subjects.
Working in conjunction with the local code enforcement and shelter volunteer group is not an option.

------------------------------
Patricia Mount
CVT/ACO
retired

You and I are in the same boat. Relocated to Arkansas from Idaho where it took 15 years but I was finally able to get resources provided to local LEOs for animal welfare concerns. Here in rural Arkansas...they care very little and "Working in conjunction with the local code enforcement and shelter volunteer group is not an option."

------------------------------
ANDI ELLIOTT
Founder/President
FOR THE LOVE OF PETS FOUNDATION INC
------------------------------

Original Message:
Sent: 08-02-2023 06:20 AM
From: Patricia Mount
Subject: August 2023 Resource Drive: Humane Education Resources

Humane education and animal welfare is extremely important to me. I am a retired CVT and ACO and relocated to a state in the south about 5 years ago. (Culture shock for a Rocky Mound girl). What suggestions, resources, strategies and methods does anyone have for me as an individual to try and implement not only at the community level but possibly state as well to raise awareness of these subjects.
Working in conjunction with the local code enforcement and shelter volunteer group is not an option.

------------------------------
Patricia Mount
CVT/ACO
retired
------------------------------

Hi Andi

Knowing you are in Arkansas as well and have been here longer in curious to know if you have had any interactions or success in reaching out on a state level regarding animal welfare, responsible pet ownership, humane education etc?  I'd really be interested in trying seeing as the local environment isn't encouraging for such. I'd love too see a anti abandonment campaign, responsible pet ownership etc subjects addressed here.

------------------------------
Patricia Mount
CVT/ACO
retired
------------------------------

Original Message:
Sent: 08-20-2023 12:31 PM
From: ANDI ELLIOTT
Subject: August 2023 Resource Drive: Humane Education Resources

You and I are in the same boat. Relocated to Arkansas from Idaho where it took 15 years but I was finally able to get resources provided to local LEOs for animal welfare concerns. Here in rural Arkansas...they care very little and "Working in conjunction with the local code enforcement and shelter volunteer group is not an option."

------------------------------
ANDI ELLIOTT
Founder/President
FOR THE LOVE OF PETS FOUNDATION INC
------------------------------


Original Message:
Sent: 08-02-2023 06:20 AM
From: Patricia Mount
Subject: August 2023 Resource Drive: Humane Education Resources

Humane education and animal welfare is extremely important to me. I am a retired CVT and ACO and relocated to a state in the south about 5 years ago. (Culture shock for a Rocky Mound girl). What suggestions, resources, strategies and methods does anyone have for me as an individual to try and implement not only at the community level but possibly state as well to raise awareness of these subjects.
Working in conjunction with the local code enforcement and shelter volunteer group is not an option.

------------------------------
Patricia Mount
CVT/ACO
retired

Hi Patricia, 

No, I have not reached out to state authorities. Trying to start here at the "bottom" but folks in the city government are afraid to "buck" the system in place. Booneville does have an animal shelter (think dog pound) and some of those dogs have been in those cages for over two years now. Tried volunteering for months but it was "their way or the highway". I chose to step outside of the "system" which was very poorly run. ZERO records by ACO. ZERO activity for 8 years on their FB page. Since I have started "making waves" they do have a somewhat active??? FB page and will adopt to locals which they did not want to do before.   Plus being a newcomer of 18 months now they are not interested in my suggestions. I am a "rescuer" with 50 years of experience behind me but when all is said and done...I am a newcomer and my suggestions are not welcomed.  Which makes me try all the harder!  LOL

------------------------------
ANDI ELLIOTT
Founder/President
FOR THE LOVE OF PETS FOUNDATION INC
------------------------------

Original Message:
Sent: 08-20-2023 01:10 PM
From: Patricia Mount
Subject: August 2023 Resource Drive: Humane Education Resources

Hi Andi

Knowing you are in Arkansas as well and have been here longer in curious to know if you have had any interactions or success in reaching out on a state level regarding animal welfare, responsible pet ownership, humane education etc?  I'd really be interested in trying seeing as the local environment isn't encouraging for such. I'd love too see a anti abandonment campaign, responsible pet ownership etc subjects addressed here.

------------------------------
Patricia Mount
CVT/ACO
retired
------------------------------


Original Message:
Sent: 08-20-2023 12:31 PM
From: ANDI ELLIOTT
Subject: August 2023 Resource Drive: Humane Education Resources

You and I are in the same boat. Relocated to Arkansas from Idaho where it took 15 years but I was finally able to get resources provided to local LEOs for animal welfare concerns. Here in rural Arkansas...they care very little and "Working in conjunction with the local code enforcement and shelter volunteer group is not an option."

------------------------------
ANDI ELLIOTT
Founder/President
FOR THE LOVE OF PETS FOUNDATION INC


Original Message:
Sent: 08-02-2023 06:20 AM
From: Patricia Mount
Subject: August 2023 Resource Drive: Humane Education Resources

Humane education and animal welfare is extremely important to me. I am a retired CVT and ACO and relocated to a state in the south about 5 years ago. (Culture shock for a Rocky Mound girl). What suggestions, resources, strategies and methods does anyone have for me as an individual to try and implement not only at the community level but possibly state as well to raise awareness of these subjects.
Working in conjunction with the local code enforcement and shelter volunteer group is not an option.

------------------------------
Patricia Mount
CVT/ACO
retired

I love this Humane Education and our organization sends subscriptions of the KIND News magazine to 4th and 5th grade classrooms in our county, city and adjoining county schools.    Kind News™ magazine is a colorful, eight-page publication. It helps children understand and respect animals and think about why treating animals and people with kindness matters.    

------------------------------
Dawn Roberts
Executive Director
Beesley Animal Foundation
------------------------------

That is awesome and actually gives me an idea. My daughter is a third grade teacher and that would be a great resource for her and her classroom as well. Thank you for the information 

------------------------------
Patricia Mount
CVT/ACO
retired
------------------------------

Original Message:
Sent: 08-02-2023 02:59 PM
From: Dawn Roberts
Subject: August 2023 Resource Drive: Humane Education Resources

I love this Humane Education and our organization sends subscriptions of the KIND News magazine to 4th and 5th grade classrooms in our county, city and adjoining county schools.    Kind News™ magazine is a colorful, eight-page publication. It helps children understand and respect animals and think about why treating animals and people with kindness matters.    

------------------------------
Dawn Roberts
Executive Director
Beesley Animal Foundation
------------------------------

Yes and they have a teachers guide as well.    We did have to get permission from the schools to be able to have it mailed to the classrooms but RedRover is super easy to work with.  

------------------------------
Dawn Roberts
Executive Director
Beesley Animal Foundation
------------------------------

Original Message:
Sent: 08-02-2023 03:18 PM
From: Patricia Mount
Subject: August 2023 Resource Drive: Humane Education Resources

That is awesome and actually gives me an idea. My daughter is a third grade teacher and that would be a great resource for her and her classroom as well. Thank you for the information 

------------------------------
Patricia Mount
CVT/ACO
retired
------------------------------


Original Message:
Sent: 08-02-2023 02:59 PM
From: Dawn Roberts
Subject: August 2023 Resource Drive: Humane Education Resources

I love this Humane Education and our organization sends subscriptions of the KIND News magazine to 4th and 5th grade classrooms in our county, city and adjoining county schools.    Kind News™ magazine is a colorful, eight-page publication. It helps children understand and respect animals and think about why treating animals and people with kindness matters.    

------------------------------
Dawn Roberts
Executive Director
Beesley Animal Foundation

Great. Thank you. She actually starts back from summer break tomorrow, I will have her talk to her administration about implementing the resource.

------------------------------
Patricia Mount
CVT/ACO
retired
------------------------------

Original Message:
Sent: 08-02-2023 03:25 PM
From: Dawn Roberts
Subject: August 2023 Resource Drive: Humane Education Resources

Yes and they have a teachers guide as well.    We did have to get permission from the schools to be able to have it mailed to the classrooms but RedRover is super easy to work with.  

------------------------------
Dawn Roberts
Executive Director
Beesley Animal Foundation
------------------------------


Original Message:
Sent: 08-02-2023 03:18 PM
From: Patricia Mount
Subject: August 2023 Resource Drive: Humane Education Resources

That is awesome and actually gives me an idea. My daughter is a third grade teacher and that would be a great resource for her and her classroom as well. Thank you for the information 

------------------------------
Patricia Mount
CVT/ACO
retired


Original Message:
Sent: 08-02-2023 02:59 PM
From: Dawn Roberts
Subject: August 2023 Resource Drive: Humane Education Resources

I love this Humane Education and our organization sends subscriptions of the KIND News magazine to 4th and 5th grade classrooms in our county, city and adjoining county schools.    Kind News™ magazine is a colorful, eight-page publication. It helps children understand and respect animals and think about why treating animals and people with kindness matters.    

------------------------------
Dawn Roberts
Executive Director
Beesley Animal Foundation

I love this idea! Thank you for sharing! We currently do outreach to all our local schools and this would be a nice addition.

Our ACOs take their K9s to the elementary and middle schools to teach the children about interacting with big dogs, when to pet, when not to pet, how to approach, etc. the ACOs usually bring some of our other shelter animals along (puppies, kittens, and our educational goat, Mr. Moo). The children then get supervised playtime so they can implement what they just learned. It's always a fun time, which the children and the ACOs love! 

------------------------------
Renee Milner
Nonprofit Board Member
Animal Shelter Alliance of Rhea
------------------------------

Original Message:
Sent: 08-02-2023 02:59 PM
From: Dawn Roberts
Subject: August 2023 Resource Drive: Humane Education Resources

I love this Humane Education and our organization sends subscriptions of the KIND News magazine to 4th and 5th grade classrooms in our county, city and adjoining county schools.    Kind News™ magazine is a colorful, eight-page publication. It helps children understand and respect animals and think about why treating animals and people with kindness matters.    

------------------------------
Dawn Roberts
Executive Director
Beesley Animal Foundation
------------------------------

Wow!  Sounds like your organization has an extensive public outreach program! I love hearing officers are engaged with students at the schools. Not only teaching humane education, responsible pet ownership and safety features but that also enhances a positive beneficial perception of the officers within a community rather than the negative connotations ACOs have been (and still are in many communities) perceived as.

------------------------------
Patricia Mount
CVT/ACO
retired
------------------------------

Original Message:
Sent: 08-03-2023 03:56 AM
From: Renee Milner
Subject: August 2023 Resource Drive: Humane Education Resources

I love this idea! Thank you for sharing! We currently do outreach to all our local schools and this would be a nice addition.

Our ACOs take their K9s to the elementary and middle schools to teach the children about interacting with big dogs, when to pet, when not to pet, how to approach, etc. the ACOs usually bring some of our other shelter animals along (puppies, kittens, and our educational goat, Mr. Moo). The children then get supervised playtime so they can implement what they just learned. It's always a fun time, which the children and the ACOs love! 

------------------------------
Renee Milner
Nonprofit Board Member
Animal Shelter Alliance of Rhea
------------------------------


Original Message:
Sent: 08-02-2023 02:59 PM
From: Dawn Roberts
Subject: August 2023 Resource Drive: Humane Education Resources

I love this Humane Education and our organization sends subscriptions of the KIND News magazine to 4th and 5th grade classrooms in our county, city and adjoining county schools.    Kind News™ magazine is a colorful, eight-page publication. It helps children understand and respect animals and think about why treating animals and people with kindness matters.    

------------------------------
Dawn Roberts
Executive Director
Beesley Animal Foundation

Hi Renee,

I think it is wonderful to teach kids about interactions as many do not know. I would love to duplicate and to hear more about how the ACOs manage kids' interactions with dogs, especially big dogs so as not to stress out the dogs. I would appreciate any tips or protocols to keep everyone safe.  Limited contact? I am always worried about liability as kids love to touch and grab. Thanks. 

------------------------------
Julielani Chang
The Life of Kai: Compassion Connections Inc.
Davis CA
------------------------------

Original Message:
Sent: 08-03-2023 03:56 AM
From: Renee Milner
Subject: August 2023 Resource Drive: Humane Education Resources

I love this idea! Thank you for sharing! We currently do outreach to all our local schools and this would be a nice addition.

Our ACOs take their K9s to the elementary and middle schools to teach the children about interacting with big dogs, when to pet, when not to pet, how to approach, etc. the ACOs usually bring some of our other shelter animals along (puppies, kittens, and our educational goat, Mr. Moo). The children then get supervised playtime so they can implement what they just learned. It's always a fun time, which the children and the ACOs love! 

------------------------------
Renee Milner
Nonprofit Board Member
Animal Shelter Alliance of Rhea
------------------------------


Original Message:
Sent: 08-02-2023 02:59 PM
From: Dawn Roberts
Subject: August 2023 Resource Drive: Humane Education Resources

I love this Humane Education and our organization sends subscriptions of the KIND News magazine to 4th and 5th grade classrooms in our county, city and adjoining county schools.    Kind News™ magazine is a colorful, eight-page publication. It helps children understand and respect animals and think about why treating animals and people with kindness matters.    

------------------------------
Dawn Roberts
Executive Director
Beesley Animal Foundation

Julielani,

our ACOs teach the kids about not touching without permission, not talking in an excited baby voice, and not putting their face right in the animals face or making eye contact.  They also teach about service dogs and working dogs and what the vests and/or muzzles might mean. The ACOs also teach proper handling for kittens and puppies so they (and the children) don't get hurt. Then the children are allowed one at a time to come up and pet the animals, it's always 1-1 supervision. 

------------------------------
Renee Milner
Nonprofit Board Member
Animal Shelter Alliance of Rhea
------------------------------

Original Message:
Sent: 08-03-2023 08:23 AM
From: Julielani Chang
Subject: August 2023 Resource Drive: Humane Education Resources

Hi Renee,

I think it is wonderful to teach kids about interactions as many do not know. I would love to duplicate and to hear more about how the ACOs manage kids' interactions with dogs, especially big dogs so as not to stress out the dogs. I would appreciate any tips or protocols to keep everyone safe.  Limited contact? I am always worried about liability as kids love to touch and grab. Thanks. 

------------------------------
Julielani Chang
The Life of Kai: Compassion Connections Inc.
Davis CA
------------------------------


Original Message:
Sent: 08-03-2023 03:56 AM
From: Renee Milner
Subject: August 2023 Resource Drive: Humane Education Resources

I love this idea! Thank you for sharing! We currently do outreach to all our local schools and this would be a nice addition.

Our ACOs take their K9s to the elementary and middle schools to teach the children about interacting with big dogs, when to pet, when not to pet, how to approach, etc. the ACOs usually bring some of our other shelter animals along (puppies, kittens, and our educational goat, Mr. Moo). The children then get supervised playtime so they can implement what they just learned. It's always a fun time, which the children and the ACOs love! 

------------------------------
Renee Milner
Nonprofit Board Member
Animal Shelter Alliance of Rhea


Original Message:
Sent: 08-02-2023 02:59 PM
From: Dawn Roberts
Subject: August 2023 Resource Drive: Humane Education Resources

I love this Humane Education and our organization sends subscriptions of the KIND News magazine to 4th and 5th grade classrooms in our county, city and adjoining county schools.    Kind News™ magazine is a colorful, eight-page publication. It helps children understand and respect animals and think about why treating animals and people with kindness matters.    

------------------------------
Dawn Roberts
Executive Director
Beesley Animal Foundation

Hi Renee,

Thank you. Sounds like a very controlled setting which is excellent. Wonderful work from the ACO's. I love it when we shine a different light on the ACOs - protectors and teachers. Thank you again for your reply. 

Best

Julielani

------------------------------
Julielani Chang
The Life of Kai: Compassion Connections Inc.
Davis CA
------------------------------

Original Message:
Sent: 08-09-2023 01:54 PM
From: Renee Milner
Subject: August 2023 Resource Drive: Humane Education Resources

Julielani,

our ACOs teach the kids about not touching without permission, not talking in an excited baby voice, and not putting their face right in the animals face or making eye contact.  They also teach about service dogs and working dogs and what the vests and/or muzzles might mean. The ACOs also teach proper handling for kittens and puppies so they (and the children) don't get hurt. Then the children are allowed one at a time to come up and pet the animals, it's always 1-1 supervision. 

------------------------------
Renee Milner
Nonprofit Board Member
Animal Shelter Alliance of Rhea
------------------------------


Original Message:
Sent: 08-03-2023 08:23 AM
From: Julielani Chang
Subject: August 2023 Resource Drive: Humane Education Resources

Hi Renee,

I think it is wonderful to teach kids about interactions as many do not know. I would love to duplicate and to hear more about how the ACOs manage kids' interactions with dogs, especially big dogs so as not to stress out the dogs. I would appreciate any tips or protocols to keep everyone safe.  Limited contact? I am always worried about liability as kids love to touch and grab. Thanks. 

------------------------------
Julielani Chang
The Life of Kai: Compassion Connections Inc.
Davis CA


Original Message:
Sent: 08-03-2023 03:56 AM
From: Renee Milner
Subject: August 2023 Resource Drive: Humane Education Resources

I love this idea! Thank you for sharing! We currently do outreach to all our local schools and this would be a nice addition.

Our ACOs take their K9s to the elementary and middle schools to teach the children about interacting with big dogs, when to pet, when not to pet, how to approach, etc. the ACOs usually bring some of our other shelter animals along (puppies, kittens, and our educational goat, Mr. Moo). The children then get supervised playtime so they can implement what they just learned. It's always a fun time, which the children and the ACOs love! 

------------------------------
Renee Milner
Nonprofit Board Member
Animal Shelter Alliance of Rhea


Original Message:
Sent: 08-02-2023 02:59 PM
From: Dawn Roberts
Subject: August 2023 Resource Drive: Humane Education Resources

I love this Humane Education and our organization sends subscriptions of the KIND News magazine to 4th and 5th grade classrooms in our county, city and adjoining county schools.    Kind News™ magazine is a colorful, eight-page publication. It helps children understand and respect animals and think about why treating animals and people with kindness matters.    

------------------------------
Dawn Roberts
Executive Director
Beesley Animal Foundation

Thanks for sharing these tips on how ACOs teach kids how to safely interact with pets, @Renee Milner! You've been randomly selected as the resource drive winner for August 🎉  Be on the lookout for a direct message from me with more details. 

And a big thank you to everyone who shared their Humane Education resources. Although the drawing for the gift card is over, please continue to collaborate and share! 

------------------------------
Kim Domerofski (she/her)
Community Manager
Maddie's Fund
------------------------------

Original Message:
Sent: 08-09-2023 01:54 PM
From: Renee Milner
Subject: August 2023 Resource Drive: Humane Education Resources

Julielani,

our ACOs teach the kids about not touching without permission, not talking in an excited baby voice, and not putting their face right in the animals face or making eye contact.  They also teach about service dogs and working dogs and what the vests and/or muzzles might mean. The ACOs also teach proper handling for kittens and puppies so they (and the children) don't get hurt. Then the children are allowed one at a time to come up and pet the animals, it's always 1-1 supervision. 

------------------------------
Renee Milner
Nonprofit Board Member
Animal Shelter Alliance of Rhea
------------------------------


Original Message:
Sent: 08-03-2023 08:23 AM
From: Julielani Chang
Subject: August 2023 Resource Drive: Humane Education Resources

Hi Renee,

I think it is wonderful to teach kids about interactions as many do not know. I would love to duplicate and to hear more about how the ACOs manage kids' interactions with dogs, especially big dogs so as not to stress out the dogs. I would appreciate any tips or protocols to keep everyone safe.  Limited contact? I am always worried about liability as kids love to touch and grab. Thanks. 

------------------------------
Julielani Chang
The Life of Kai: Compassion Connections Inc.
Davis CA


Original Message:
Sent: 08-03-2023 03:56 AM
From: Renee Milner
Subject: August 2023 Resource Drive: Humane Education Resources

I love this idea! Thank you for sharing! We currently do outreach to all our local schools and this would be a nice addition.

Our ACOs take their K9s to the elementary and middle schools to teach the children about interacting with big dogs, when to pet, when not to pet, how to approach, etc. the ACOs usually bring some of our other shelter animals along (puppies, kittens, and our educational goat, Mr. Moo). The children then get supervised playtime so they can implement what they just learned. It's always a fun time, which the children and the ACOs love! 

------------------------------
Renee Milner
Nonprofit Board Member
Animal Shelter Alliance of Rhea


Original Message:
Sent: 08-02-2023 02:59 PM
From: Dawn Roberts
Subject: August 2023 Resource Drive: Humane Education Resources

I love this Humane Education and our organization sends subscriptions of the KIND News magazine to 4th and 5th grade classrooms in our county, city and adjoining county schools.    Kind News™ magazine is a colorful, eight-page publication. It helps children understand and respect animals and think about why treating animals and people with kindness matters.    

------------------------------
Dawn Roberts
Executive Director
Beesley Animal Foundation

Wow, it's only been one day and we've already got some awesome comments and resources for this month's resource drive. Thanks to everyone who has contributed so far and keep 'em coming! 

I've added some resources from RedRover, Animal Welfare Institute and HEART (Humane Education Advocates Reaching Teachers) to the library folder. Be sure to check them out here:  Humane Education folder in forum library

------------------------------
Kim Domerofski (she/her)
Community Manager
Maddie's Fund
------------------------------

I would love to see Humane Education material be developed with Humane Training and Behavior Science in mind. Perhaps through a relationship with organizations like the IAABC as part of a peer review process might get us moving towards helping people help animals in living a life with their mental well being in mind?

------------------------------
Melinda Lee
Director of Volunteer & Foster Engagement
Mr. Bones & Co.
West Islip NY
------------------------------

Thanks for the IAABC resource. I was not aware of this organization and just googled them. Looks like they have a great variety of various materials and courses that can be accessed and extremely beneficial for Humane Education awareness and skill development for professionals. I love that they also have some material for other species in addition to dogs/cats. I agree as well that a joint program to implement would be a wonderful opportunity 

------------------------------
Patricia Mount
CVT/ACO
retired
------------------------------

Original Message:
Sent: 08-03-2023 12:04 PM
From: Melinda Lee
Subject: August 2023 Resource Drive: Humane Education Resources

I would love to see Humane Education material be developed with Humane Training and Behavior Science in mind. Perhaps through a relationship with organizations like the IAABC as part of a peer review process might get us moving towards helping people help animals in living a life with their mental well being in mind?

------------------------------
Melinda Lee
Director of Volunteer & Foster Engagement
Mr. Bones & Co.
West Islip NY
------------------------------

Hi all!

I'm the Humane Education Manager at the Jacksonville Humane Society in Jacksonville, Florida. I also serve on the Board of Directors for the Association of Professional Humane Educators. 

These are the main humane education programs we currently offer at JHS:

Pawsitive Reading - This is a program in which kids can come and volunteer to read out loud to the pets in our shelter. Studies have shown listening to people reading out loud lowers stress levels in animals, and it's also an incredible way to boost kids' reading confidence and help them build their literacy skills. 

Camps - We offer a Summer Camp, Winter and Spring Break Camp, plus some one-day camps throughout the year like our Future Veterinarians Camp. We also do a high school camp in the summer! Our curricula are a blend of educational lessons, crafts/activities/art projects that benefit our pets in some way or tie into our learning, animal interactions, and - of course - GAMES!

Service Days - These are 4-hour events for middle and high school students in which we complete a variety of projects benefiting our shelter and also learn about a topic in animal welfare that we then tie into our own lives (for example, stress in people and stress in animals - how can we manage our own stress, how can we help pets manage their stress, etc.)

Field Trips - We offer field trips every weekday morning before we open during the school year. Our trips are either 1 hour or 1.5 hours and include an orientation to JHS, a tour of our Adoption Center, and Pawsitive Reading if the class wants that add-on. We also typically get to meet a kitten or a dog, depending on who is available in the shelter!

Birthday Parties - We offer several birthday party packages with varied themes. Even though these are parties, they still tie back to our mission - we learn about what an animal shelter does, take a tour, and do some sort of service activity to help the pets! (And, of course, we get to meet kittens or a dog!)

Outreach - We started an outreach program about a year/year and a half ago that allows us to now venture out into the community to share humane education lessons and activities. We regularly visit Title I schools and after school programs for underresourced youth and do lessons, service projects, social-emotional learning games, and more. We even bring Pawsitive Reading on the road sometimes - we bring a shelter pet with us and the kids can read out loud to the pet at their location rather than coming to our facility! 

Juvenile Diversion - This is a newer program for us, but we now offer a humane education-themed juvenile diversion option for pre-teens and teens in our city. It's a 12-week program and we meet once a week for about an hour - the participants learn about all sorts of animal-related topics, engage in social-emotional learning and reflection opportunities, and earn volunteer hours.

We are very grateful to have incredibly generous grant funders who make many of these programs possible. We have actually found that adding education programs can bring in new sources of revenue, as many funders who aren't inspired to give to animals may be motivated to support education!

If anyone has any questions about any of these programs or is interested in any of our curriculum materials, please don't hesitate to reply to this post or email me at snew@jaxhumane.org. This is my favorite topic and I love exchanging ideas and resources.

The Association of Professional Humane Educators - www.aphe.org - is an awesome resource for all things humane ed. If your organization has an education program currently or interested in starting one, I highly recommend joining APHE if possible. All members get access to a resource library full of materials. We also sell a camp manual which is a must-have for anyone starting a humane education camp for the first time.

I hope all of this information helps!

------------------------------
Savanna New
Jacksonville Humane Society
------------------------------

Wow Samantha your programs are fantastic.  My organization has an education program but nothing to this well rounded extent.  I am emailing you as I would love to learn more about your Outreach and Juvenile Diversion programs.  Thank you!!  

------------------------------
Dawn Roberts
Executive Director
Beesley Animal Foundation
------------------------------

Original Message:
Sent: 08-04-2023 10:59 AM
From: Savanna New
Subject: August 2023 Resource Drive: Humane Education Resources

Hi all!

I'm the Humane Education Manager at the Jacksonville Humane Society in Jacksonville, Florida. I also serve on the Board of Directors for the Association of Professional Humane Educators. 

These are the main humane education programs we currently offer at JHS:

Pawsitive Reading - This is a program in which kids can come and volunteer to read out loud to the pets in our shelter. Studies have shown listening to people reading out loud lowers stress levels in animals, and it's also an incredible way to boost kids' reading confidence and help them build their literacy skills. 

Camps - We offer a Summer Camp, Winter and Spring Break Camp, plus some one-day camps throughout the year like our Future Veterinarians Camp. We also do a high school camp in the summer! Our curricula are a blend of educational lessons, crafts/activities/art projects that benefit our pets in some way or tie into our learning, animal interactions, and - of course - GAMES!

Service Days - These are 4-hour events for middle and high school students in which we complete a variety of projects benefiting our shelter and also learn about a topic in animal welfare that we then tie into our own lives (for example, stress in people and stress in animals - how can we manage our own stress, how can we help pets manage their stress, etc.)

Field Trips - We offer field trips every weekday morning before we open during the school year. Our trips are either 1 hour or 1.5 hours and include an orientation to JHS, a tour of our Adoption Center, and Pawsitive Reading if the class wants that add-on. We also typically get to meet a kitten or a dog, depending on who is available in the shelter!

Birthday Parties - We offer several birthday party packages with varied themes. Even though these are parties, they still tie back to our mission - we learn about what an animal shelter does, take a tour, and do some sort of service activity to help the pets! (And, of course, we get to meet kittens or a dog!)

Outreach - We started an outreach program about a year/year and a half ago that allows us to now venture out into the community to share humane education lessons and activities. We regularly visit Title I schools and after school programs for underresourced youth and do lessons, service projects, social-emotional learning games, and more. We even bring Pawsitive Reading on the road sometimes - we bring a shelter pet with us and the kids can read out loud to the pet at their location rather than coming to our facility! 

Juvenile Diversion - This is a newer program for us, but we now offer a humane education-themed juvenile diversion option for pre-teens and teens in our city. It's a 12-week program and we meet once a week for about an hour - the participants learn about all sorts of animal-related topics, engage in social-emotional learning and reflection opportunities, and earn volunteer hours.

We are very grateful to have incredibly generous grant funders who make many of these programs possible. We have actually found that adding education programs can bring in new sources of revenue, as many funders who aren't inspired to give to animals may be motivated to support education!

If anyone has any questions about any of these programs or is interested in any of our curriculum materials, please don't hesitate to reply to this post or email me at snew@jaxhumane.org. This is my favorite topic and I love exchanging ideas and resources.

The Association of Professional Humane Educators - www.aphe.org - is an awesome resource for all things humane ed. If your organization has an education program currently or interested in starting one, I highly recommend joining APHE if possible. All members get access to a resource library full of materials. We also sell a camp manual which is a must-have for anyone starting a humane education camp for the first time.

I hope all of this information helps!

------------------------------
Savanna New
Jacksonville Humane Society
------------------------------

Hi Savanna,

Thank you for posting. I am so impressed with all the different programs in your post. I am looking forward to chatting with you more about these programs. Thanks again. 

------------------------------
Julielani Chang
The Life of Kai: Compassion Connections Inc.
Davis CA
------------------------------

Original Message:
Sent: 08-04-2023 10:59 AM
From: Savanna New
Subject: August 2023 Resource Drive: Humane Education Resources

Hi all!

I'm the Humane Education Manager at the Jacksonville Humane Society in Jacksonville, Florida. I also serve on the Board of Directors for the Association of Professional Humane Educators. 

These are the main humane education programs we currently offer at JHS:

Pawsitive Reading - This is a program in which kids can come and volunteer to read out loud to the pets in our shelter. Studies have shown listening to people reading out loud lowers stress levels in animals, and it's also an incredible way to boost kids' reading confidence and help them build their literacy skills. 

Camps - We offer a Summer Camp, Winter and Spring Break Camp, plus some one-day camps throughout the year like our Future Veterinarians Camp. We also do a high school camp in the summer! Our curricula are a blend of educational lessons, crafts/activities/art projects that benefit our pets in some way or tie into our learning, animal interactions, and - of course - GAMES!

Service Days - These are 4-hour events for middle and high school students in which we complete a variety of projects benefiting our shelter and also learn about a topic in animal welfare that we then tie into our own lives (for example, stress in people and stress in animals - how can we manage our own stress, how can we help pets manage their stress, etc.)

Field Trips - We offer field trips every weekday morning before we open during the school year. Our trips are either 1 hour or 1.5 hours and include an orientation to JHS, a tour of our Adoption Center, and Pawsitive Reading if the class wants that add-on. We also typically get to meet a kitten or a dog, depending on who is available in the shelter!

Birthday Parties - We offer several birthday party packages with varied themes. Even though these are parties, they still tie back to our mission - we learn about what an animal shelter does, take a tour, and do some sort of service activity to help the pets! (And, of course, we get to meet kittens or a dog!)

Outreach - We started an outreach program about a year/year and a half ago that allows us to now venture out into the community to share humane education lessons and activities. We regularly visit Title I schools and after school programs for underresourced youth and do lessons, service projects, social-emotional learning games, and more. We even bring Pawsitive Reading on the road sometimes - we bring a shelter pet with us and the kids can read out loud to the pet at their location rather than coming to our facility! 

Juvenile Diversion - This is a newer program for us, but we now offer a humane education-themed juvenile diversion option for pre-teens and teens in our city. It's a 12-week program and we meet once a week for about an hour - the participants learn about all sorts of animal-related topics, engage in social-emotional learning and reflection opportunities, and earn volunteer hours.

We are very grateful to have incredibly generous grant funders who make many of these programs possible. We have actually found that adding education programs can bring in new sources of revenue, as many funders who aren't inspired to give to animals may be motivated to support education!

If anyone has any questions about any of these programs or is interested in any of our curriculum materials, please don't hesitate to reply to this post or email me at snew@jaxhumane.org. This is my favorite topic and I love exchanging ideas and resources.

The Association of Professional Humane Educators - www.aphe.org - is an awesome resource for all things humane ed. If your organization has an education program currently or interested in starting one, I highly recommend joining APHE if possible. All members get access to a resource library full of materials. We also sell a camp manual which is a must-have for anyone starting a humane education camp for the first time.

I hope all of this information helps!

------------------------------
Savanna New
Jacksonville Humane Society
------------------------------

Yay, humane education! Here are a few of the lesson plans we teach in the schools. 

https://docs.google.com/document/d/19rGRE87TLDT1widT4gzK83L0idPZYxlC/edit

https://docs.google.com/document/d/1FfJpD1A-V0tXNlzz8NZKjzyNMr0ZLwaA/edit#heading=h.gjdgxs

https://docs.google.com/document/d/1AWzck7dnff8s_tyJJjLgPYIamvFyJKcS/edit

------------------------------
Erin Ellis
Community Engagement Director
Humane Society of Truckee-Tahoe

---------
Foster Program & Volunteer Management Specialist
------------------------------

Hi Erin,

Thank you for sharing the lesson plans. I am aware of your program from online research and I love it. For some reason, I am unable to access these lessons without permission. Thank you again for your generosity.

Best

------------------------------
Julielani Chang
The Life of Kai: Compassion Connections Inc.
Davis CA
------------------------------

Original Message:
Sent: 08-15-2023 08:01 AM
From: ERIN ELLIS
Subject: August 2023 Resource Drive: Humane Education Resources

Yay, humane education! Here are a few of the lesson plans we teach in the schools. 

https://docs.google.com/document/d/19rGRE87TLDT1widT4gzK83L0idPZYxlC/edit

https://docs.google.com/document/d/1FfJpD1A-V0tXNlzz8NZKjzyNMr0ZLwaA/edit#heading=h.gjdgxs

https://docs.google.com/document/d/1AWzck7dnff8s_tyJJjLgPYIamvFyJKcS/edit

------------------------------
Erin Ellis
Community Engagement Director
Humane Society of Truckee-Tahoe

---------
Foster Program & Volunteer Management Specialist
------------------------------

Hi Erin,

I can't access the documents you posted but have sent a request to you to be able to view them. I'm looking forward to seeing the program details of what you use in schools

------------------------------
Patricia Mount
CVT/ACO
retired
------------------------------

Original Message:
Sent: 08-15-2023 08:01 AM
From: ERIN ELLIS
Subject: August 2023 Resource Drive: Humane Education Resources

Yay, humane education! Here are a few of the lesson plans we teach in the schools. 

https://docs.google.com/document/d/19rGRE87TLDT1widT4gzK83L0idPZYxlC/edit

https://docs.google.com/document/d/1FfJpD1A-V0tXNlzz8NZKjzyNMr0ZLwaA/edit#heading=h.gjdgxs

https://docs.google.com/document/d/1AWzck7dnff8s_tyJJjLgPYIamvFyJKcS/edit

------------------------------
Erin Ellis
Community Engagement Director
Humane Society of Truckee-Tahoe

---------
Foster Program & Volunteer Management Specialist
------------------------------

Sorry, I've attached them here.

------------------------------
Erin Ellis
Community Engagement Director
Humane Society of Truckee-Tahoe

---------
Foster Program & Volunteer Management Specialist
------------------------------

Original Message:
Sent: 08-15-2023 08:53 AM
From: Patricia Mount
Subject: August 2023 Resource Drive: Humane Education Resources

Hi Erin,

I can't access the documents you posted but have sent a request to you to be able to view them. I'm looking forward to seeing the program details of what you use in schools

------------------------------
Patricia Mount
CVT/ACO
retired
------------------------------


Original Message:
Sent: 08-15-2023 08:01 AM
From: ERIN ELLIS
Subject: August 2023 Resource Drive: Humane Education Resources

Yay, humane education! Here are a few of the lesson plans we teach in the schools. 

https://docs.google.com/document/d/19rGRE87TLDT1widT4gzK83L0idPZYxlC/edit

https://docs.google.com/document/d/1FfJpD1A-V0tXNlzz8NZKjzyNMr0ZLwaA/edit#heading=h.gjdgxs

https://docs.google.com/document/d/1AWzck7dnff8s_tyJJjLgPYIamvFyJKcS/edit

------------------------------
Erin Ellis
Community Engagement Director
Humane Society of Truckee-Tahoe

---------
Foster Program & Volunteer Management Specialist

Sorry about that! I tired uploading them and I couldn't . I'll give access to anyone that wants to view them. Again, I'm sorry about that hassle.

------------------------------
Erin Ellis
Community Engagement Director
Humane Society of Truckee-Tahoe

---------
Foster Program & Volunteer Management Specialist
------------------------------

Original Message:
Sent: 08-15-2023 08:53 AM
From: Patricia Mount
Subject: August 2023 Resource Drive: Humane Education Resources

Hi Erin,

I can't access the documents you posted but have sent a request to you to be able to view them. I'm looking forward to seeing the program details of what you use in schools

------------------------------
Patricia Mount
CVT/ACO
retired
------------------------------


Original Message:
Sent: 08-15-2023 08:01 AM
From: ERIN ELLIS
Subject: August 2023 Resource Drive: Humane Education Resources

Yay, humane education! Here are a few of the lesson plans we teach in the schools. 

https://docs.google.com/document/d/19rGRE87TLDT1widT4gzK83L0idPZYxlC/edit

https://docs.google.com/document/d/1FfJpD1A-V0tXNlzz8NZKjzyNMr0ZLwaA/edit#heading=h.gjdgxs

https://docs.google.com/document/d/1AWzck7dnff8s_tyJJjLgPYIamvFyJKcS/edit

------------------------------
Erin Ellis
Community Engagement Director
Humane Society of Truckee-Tahoe

---------
Foster Program & Volunteer Management Specialist

The Shelter Dirctor of our cat rescue (Eden Animal Haven) has wanted to try a program like this for some time. After 13 years, she finally was able to retire from her full-time job in June and now has a little more time and energy to look into it. I will be downloading resources from this Resource Drive to pass on to her. Thanks!

------------------------------
Pamela Adelmann
------------------------------

We offer classroom presentations that discuss basic body language for Cats and Dogs. We also talk about how to safely interact with dogs and cats, including how and where to pet and teaching the "Pet, Pet, Pause" mantra which encourages the kids to pause and make sure the animal is consenting to the interaction. We also teach how to handle an off leash dog who is potentially dangerous/scary. I love the Good Dog in a Box videos on Youtube. We utilize a few of their videos in our presentations, specifically this one about staying calm around an off leash or rambunctious dog. https://youtu.be/HqlFuQfL8Lo 

I also bring a fake dog with me and the kids get to practice greeting him appropriately - they LOVE this part. 

We've added some information about being safe around small pets too, with simple rules like "Only adults get to open cages and tanks" and discussing how big and scary we can be to small animals. 

These presentations are some of my favorite times on the job!

------------------------------
Alyssa Vincent
Humane Education Program Manager
Napa Humane
------------------------------

I'd like resources and ideas for reaching teachers and schools so they know about our volunteer-based humane education program, with a limited (for now) 4th grade curriculum. Ten years ago it was relatively easy for those volunteers to do outreach to schools. Now New Mexico is ranked at the bottom for education across the country, which puts undue pressure on teachers. Of course gatekeeping happens no matter what - probably more tightly post-Covid.

How have others cultivated a relationship with their school system or done successful marketing to get a program in front of students? 

What about other types of venues like faith-based centers or human services orgs like Boys and Girls Club? 

------------------------------
Sara Fitzpatrick
Community Engagement Manager
Santa Fe Animal Shelter & Humane Society
------------------------------

Hi Sara,

We've started working with our local Boys and Girls Club in San Francisco for monthly visits. Right now, it's a one hour visit, and kids range in age from 6-12.  We visit with myself and one volunteer. We bring two very calm, senior dogs for the visit. I discuss safety, how to pet and interact with the dogs, and what to know about senior rescue dogs. We then split the group into two, and each child gets a chance to read a short book one on one with the dog (supervised by me or the volunteer, and the Boys and Girls club staff member is always present too).  We give out bookmarks and stickers after they finish reading and cuddling. 

The Boys and Girls Club initially contacted us to ask about opportunities for kids to visit with dogs, and we started a monthly visit at that time, part of their after-school program. My impression is that they were very open to partnering with organizations that could provide appropriate programming for their community. They require fingerprinting and training in mandatory child abuse protection. It's a very rewarding partnership and the kids love to be around the dogs. I also try to bring dogs that are different - blind, three-legged, for example.

I appreciate this forum discussion and am getting so many great ideas and examples. We definitely want to grow our human education program in the future so this is very helpful to learn about. I am very inspired!

------------------------------
Angela Di Martino
Community Outreach Manager
Muttville Senior Dog Rescue
------------------------------

Original Message:
Sent: 08-17-2023 12:29 PM
From: Sara Fitzpatrick (she/her)
Subject: August 2023 Resource Drive: Humane Education Resources

I'd like resources and ideas for reaching teachers and schools so they know about our volunteer-based humane education program, with a limited (for now) 4th grade curriculum. Ten years ago it was relatively easy for those volunteers to do outreach to schools. Now New Mexico is ranked at the bottom for education across the country, which puts undue pressure on teachers. Of course gatekeeping happens no matter what - probably more tightly post-Covid.

How have others cultivated a relationship with their school system or done successful marketing to get a program in front of students? 

What about other types of venues like faith-based centers or human services orgs like Boys and Girls Club? 

------------------------------
Sara Fitzpatrick
Community Engagement Manager
Santa Fe Animal Shelter & Humane Society
------------------------------

Hi Angela, Thanks so much! Before I began in animal welfare I did disaster response and prep with with kids and found a welcoming org in Boys and Girls Club. i'm going to see if I can get the HE volunteers connected. 

------------------------------
Sara Fitzpatrick
Community Engagement Manager
Santa Fe Animal Shelter & Humane Society
------------------------------

Original Message:
Sent: 08-18-2023 11:38 AM
From: Angela Di Martino
Subject: August 2023 Resource Drive: Humane Education Resources

Hi Sara,

We've started working with our local Boys and Girls Club in San Francisco for monthly visits. Right now, it's a one hour visit, and kids range in age from 6-12.  We visit with myself and one volunteer. We bring two very calm, senior dogs for the visit. I discuss safety, how to pet and interact with the dogs, and what to know about senior rescue dogs. We then split the group into two, and each child gets a chance to read a short book one on one with the dog (supervised by me or the volunteer, and the Boys and Girls club staff member is always present too).  We give out bookmarks and stickers after they finish reading and cuddling. 

The Boys and Girls Club initially contacted us to ask about opportunities for kids to visit with dogs, and we started a monthly visit at that time, part of their after-school program. My impression is that they were very open to partnering with organizations that could provide appropriate programming for their community. They require fingerprinting and training in mandatory child abuse protection. It's a very rewarding partnership and the kids love to be around the dogs. I also try to bring dogs that are different - blind, three-legged, for example.

I appreciate this forum discussion and am getting so many great ideas and examples. We definitely want to grow our human education program in the future so this is very helpful to learn about. I am very inspired!

------------------------------
Angela Di Martino
Community Outreach Manager
Muttville Senior Dog Rescue
------------------------------


Original Message:
Sent: 08-17-2023 12:29 PM
From: Sara Fitzpatrick (she/her)
Subject: August 2023 Resource Drive: Humane Education Resources

I'd like resources and ideas for reaching teachers and schools so they know about our volunteer-based humane education program, with a limited (for now) 4th grade curriculum. Ten years ago it was relatively easy for those volunteers to do outreach to schools. Now New Mexico is ranked at the bottom for education across the country, which puts undue pressure on teachers. Of course gatekeeping happens no matter what - probably more tightly post-Covid.

How have others cultivated a relationship with their school system or done successful marketing to get a program in front of students? 

What about other types of venues like faith-based centers or human services orgs like Boys and Girls Club? 

------------------------------
Sara Fitzpatrick
Community Engagement Manager
Santa Fe Animal Shelter & Humane Society

I am the ACO for a city police department.   We go to schools, scout meetings, parks, etc. and speak to kids as well as adults on proper pet care.   We give out flyers, coloring books, and everything in between  to  try to educate the public.   When we go out to calls it is not to issue citations (unless that is what needs to be done) but to assist and educate them on proper care.   We have delivered donated dog houses, food, straw in the winter, tarps for shade in the summer and have even picked up and taken the animals to be spayed and neutered and delivered back to their owners.    We strive to be a community recourse for animal issues.

------------------------------
Cyndi Hoffman
Newnan Police Department
------------------------------

I applaud you for your efforts in ALL areas of animal welfare. Just wish that I could get our local ACO on board...he keeps no records...cages animals for years. It's a "dead end" shelter for many.

------------------------------
ANDI ELLIOTT
Founder/President
FOR THE LOVE OF PETS FOUNDATION INC
------------------------------

Original Message:
Sent: 08-19-2023 05:12 AM
From: Cyndi Hoffman
Subject: August 2023 Resource Drive: Humane Education Resources

I am the ACO for a city police department.   We go to schools, scout meetings, parks, etc. and speak to kids as well as adults on proper pet care.   We give out flyers, coloring books, and everything in between  to  try to educate the public.   When we go out to calls it is not to issue citations (unless that is what needs to be done) but to assist and educate them on proper care.   We have delivered donated dog houses, food, straw in the winter, tarps for shade in the summer and have even picked up and taken the animals to be spayed and neutered and delivered back to their owners.    We strive to be a community recourse for animal issues.

------------------------------
Cyndi Hoffman
Newnan Police Department
------------------------------

We just finished our Humane Education summer camps for 2023! Students in our community had a fun summer of learning about and serving animals in need at our shelter. Many young people who participate in our onsite programming begin by attending one or more of our weekly summer camps: Kittens, Puppies & Kiddos Camp; Helping Animals Camp; Girl Power Camp; Art Camp; Career Camp; Mornings at AAHS Camp; and Afternoons at AAHS Camp. At each camp, we train young people to care for and interact with animals safely while exposing them to the rewarding field of animal welfare. We also receive many youth volunteers through 4H, who then join our animal ambassador program, Youth Allies, during the school year. Their involvement in our organization from a young age leads some students to intern with us and potentially pursue a career with us. Our students prove that humane education sparks a lifelong passion for animal welfare and serving the community!

Our onsite camp registration fills up quickly every year, but we also reach youth with humane education at various offsite locations in our community throughout the year. Some of these offsite locations include local classrooms, after-school programs, and low-income apartment buildings housing impoverished or at-risk youth and their families. At a typical offsite humane education visit, our Humane Education Manager will begin with a Q&A to gauge her audience's knowledge of animals. Then, she will demonstrate how to safely approach animals for the first time, how to pet them, what a family should consider before they adopt, and the importance of spaying and neutering. In all of her lessons, she teaches children to treat animals how they would like their peers to treat them. This introduces children who may have never interacted with an animal to the concept that animals have feelings, too, and deserve to be treated with respect and kindness. Making this social-emotional connection for children and giving them one-on-one animal time helps them decompress, relieve stress, and socialize with peers. Encouraging responsible pet ownership to them at a young age teaches them invaluable lessons about compassion and citizenship. 

In the wake of the pandemic, we are trying to increase our offsite visits and re-establish our connections with local schools. Due to staff turnover at offsite locations and other circumstances, we have lost some connections with our previous offsite partners. Is anyone else experiencing something similar to this following the pandemic? If so, have you done anything to re-establish these connections or bring new life to your offsite humane education programming?

------------------------------
Lita Lind
Grant Writer
Animal Allies Humane Society
------------------------------

Hello everyone! I have been the Director of Education at the Nebraska Humane Society (NHS) for a little over 6 years. Additionally, I have been a member of APHE (Association of Professional Humane Educators) throughout that time. Although we are a larger shelter, I think we do a fairly good job at sharing about Humane Education. I thought I would share a little about our programs and then a couple of my favorite lessons!

Tours: These are behind-the-scenes tours lasting approximately 45 minutes to an hour. The highlight of the tour is always stopping in our Animal Medical Department and seeing our veterinarians in action! These tours have been a great addition to curriculum in schools as well as used for class field trips. Many schools hold large donation drives for us to compensate for the tours. At the finale of the tour, we end in the adoption areas. Groups can determine if they would like to stay and read to our animals, meet a special guest, or head back to their school/daycare/facility/etc.

Birthday Parties: We hold birthday parties for youth at the shelter where they get a behind the scenes tour and a visit from an adoptable if we have an appropriate one a volunteer can bring to the party. We have some fun games they play and a gift for the birthday youth. Additionally, we added "Pup-Up Paw-ties" during COVID. These continue to be popular. We drive up in one of our vans and bring an adoptable pup. We sing (with the help from barking dogs singing on YouTube….) Happy Birthday and provide a Humane Education packet to the birthday youth as well as a family photo with the adoptable pet that came along.

Presentations: We provide offsite Humane Education outreach in the form of table events, vehicle days, speaking engagements, and classroom lessons. These events range in various topics which can be found on our website but are also up to the location. This outreach has been able to reach "youth" aged 18 months all the way to 100! At times some of our onsite Animal Control Officers (ACO's) attend with and bring an ACO van. We are able to share a more in-depth experience of what an animal goes through and how we can help in the community.

Humane Hands: A service group of 13–16-year-olds that provide service-learning activities at the shelter. It allows them the opportunity to give back and learn about our shelter/Humane Education while also helping the shelter with various needed tasks. These have ranged from preparing medical packets, assisting in laundry, assisting with kennel front training, and more.

Camp Kindness: Our summer camp program is designed to provide Humane Education and a more in depth look at NHS to youth ages 6-13. We utilize high school students at least 15 years old to assist by being camp counselors. Each summer we look at new themes and ideas. Some years we have had themed weeks based on the animals we have at the shelter while other summers we have themed the whole summer on a topic that is heavy at the shelter at the time. The youth love assisting with the enrichment and always having a kennel buddy to read to!!

Scout Programs: We assist Boy and Girl Scout programs to reach their badge needs. Each year we have approximately 10 Eagle Scouts that work with us to create needed items to help the community and the shelter as well.

Day Camps: Throughout the year we provide approximately six day camps between spring, winter, and fall. These day camps have included Paws and Claws for our dogs, cats, and critters as well as our Hearts and Hooves for our horse camp. We discuss topics to include why it is best to not give a pet as a gift, or winter pet safety tips.  We continue to incorporate making enrichment for our shelter animals during the day camps too.

Family Service Days: I implemented these in 2022 due to a high demand of parents wanting to allow young children to volunteer. Due to safety and liability this was not an option. On Martin Luther King Jr Day and on Presidents Day families are able to sign up to volunteer at NHS. They determine which capacity they prefer to assist in (Cleaning hallways, making edible enrichment, making physical enrichment items, reading to the animals, making surgery packets, and more depending on our current needs). We ask for no more than 2 children per adult, and we do limit to children over the age of 5.

Okay! I want to share a couple fun activities I have implemented that might be of interest to you. This one sounds silly…. believe me I know!!! However, I have been using it for almost a year and the feedback and understanding from youth has been amazing! I wanted a way to show microchips in a more tactile way for youth understanding. I worked with one of my veterinarians and we came up with using small clear cups of Jell-O. This represents the animal. The top layer of the Jell-o is a little tougher, so it acts as the skin layer. Using a needless syringe and a piece of black rice as the microchip, youth inserted the rice into the Jell-o. They were careful not to injure their "animal" and to not cause damage to the skin. Once youth saw that not all microchips went the same distance into an animal and how difficult it could be (some landed on top of the skin layer….), they seemed to have a better understanding of microchips.  

A second activity I have created took months of preparation. It is a great math lesson that can be used at NHS or in schools. It allows youth to see the difference of owning various types of pets (all 12 are types we adopt out at NHS) versus buying a pet from a breeder. They are given a specific amount of play money in the beginning to purchase the pet or adopt the pet of their choosing. They then need to purchase the items needed for that pet. Costs depend on whether they are buying from NHS gift shop after adopting or from a pet supply store after buying from a breeder. It is a great tactile learning experience.

Please let me know if you have any questions or would like further information on any of the programs or lessons. My email is tconroy@nehumanesociety.org Thank you for reading! 😊

------------------------------
Tammy Conroy
Director of Education
Nebraska Humane Society
------------------------------

My daughter did  library workshop this month to talk about the importance of helping shelter and rescue pets.  She has a slide presentation and offers  crafting time to make enrichment items to be donated to pets in the local shelters and rescues after the presentation.   The workshop is geared for all ages - children, teens and adults.  We had young people attending and people in their 80's.  It was a multigenerational program that we well received.  

She talked about adoption, fostering and volunteering options.   In the future, we would like to expand the workshop to include more information about fostering. We are planning to partner  with a rescue to offer more comprehensive trainings.

Here is the link to the flyer from her workshop:

https://lapl.org/whats-on/events/help-shelter-pets-making-enrichment-items

 

------------------------------
Michele Robinson
President
Reducing Animal Stress
------------------------------

Oh, Tammy, I'm absolutely amazed by your microchip activity! I can't help but wish I had stumbled upon this earlier, maybe during those wonderful 10 weeks of summer camp. Rest assured, I'll be holding onto this gem for the future!

Greetings to all! This topic truly warms my heart, as I strongly believe that nurturing humane education and compassion among our youth is the key to solving so many challenges. My name is De, and I've had the incredible privilege of being a part of the Charleston Animal Society for a remarkable 14 years. Witnessing the positive evolution in our field has been a joy.

Additionally, I'm honored to serve as a senior advisor at APHE (Association of Professional Humane Educators), an organization I wholeheartedly encourage those who aren't yet members to consider joining. The connections and learning opportunities are truly invaluable.

Allow me a moment to express my immense pride in our exceptional team, who ingeniously crafted the very first Humane Education Maddie's Fund Apprenticeship. Keep your eyes peeled for the upcoming class commencing in October - it's bound to be transformative.

I'm excited to share a heartwarming fundraising initiative that our department recently orchestrated, resulting in a delightful $2,000 raised. Aptly named the "Surprise Pet Portrait," we invited our Arts & Animal campers to channel their artistic talents into creating pet portraits for generous donors. Witnessing our campers pour their creativity into helping us raise funds was an absolute joy.

Should you have any inquiries about this initiative, I'm more than happy to provide further information. Please feel free to reach out with your questions. Let's keep the spirit of compassion and education alive!

------------------------------
De Daltorio

Charleston Animal Society
------------------------------

HUMANE EDUCATION'S EFFECT ON MIDDLE SCHOOL STUDENT MOTIVATION & STANDARDS-BASED READING ASSESSMENT....

https://www.mdpi.com/2076-0760/10/10/376

------------------------------
Dawnita Lowe
Animal Caretaker/Pet Owner
Community Member
------------------------------

1.)  https://www.larimerhumane.org/blog/have-a-kiddo-who-loves-animals//

2.) https://www.lollypop.org/blog/have-fun-and-learn-at-home-humane-education-activities-for-kids/

------------------------------
Dawnita Lowe
Animal Caretaker/Pet Owner
Community Member
------------------------------

I am a former elementary school teacher and we had a program where dogs would come into the school and our students would read to them for 15-20 minutes.  It was great to see the kids who had never spent time with a pet before develop a bond with their dogs week to week.  It would be great to have something like that and maybe pair it with some of the curriculum readings that have been mentioned in other comments (maybe the RedRover magazine and the stories that were described by Julielani Chang with Life of Kai.)  

------------------------------
Heather Mains
Director
Animal Care Foundation of MN
------------------------------

A little bit different resource for humane education....

You're probably familiar with Nat Geo's "Critter Fixers", the tv show about veterinarians. You may not know that the Critter Fixers host a "Vet for a Day" program in various cities around the country. This is a FREE program  for kids 12-16.  The program is a full day for kids (and one parent) to see vet medicine up close and to participate in mini-labs including learning how to suture, read x-rays, CPR on dogs, check for heartworms and more depending on what is available at the particular facility.  Includes a t-shirt, backpack, and stethoscope. The program recently won a 2023 HABRI Award (Human Animal Bond Research Institute). Check for upcoming events here...

https://www.cfvetforaday.com/

------------------------------
Shari Cahill
silvercometawa.org
------------------------------

As it should be, it looks like dog/cat body language and pet safety is a common theme in many of the programs described. But, I haven't seen anybody reference the artist Lili Chin resources yet. Her website - https://www.doggiedrawings.net/ - has dozens of FREE resources including posters and translated versions for other language needs.  See cat language example attached. Ideal for classroom discussion, display, handouts and adopter packets. Lili has also published books that give more detail about body language. I highly recommend all of her content - very professional, exceptional artwork, designed with animal welfare professionals in mind. 

------------------------------
Shari Cahill
silvercometawa.org
------------------------------

As a reminder, humane education is sometimes termed 'social-emotional learning' which helps a wider audience understand the intent. In fact, many school curriculums now require elements of social-emotional learning.  An author local to me here in GA has written a book I looovee...."Abby the Crabby Tabby Discovers Gratitude". It's very well written and the illustration is impressive. There's also a free activity kit available on the website -- https://abbythecrabbytabby.com/ . For program use, I suggest contacting the author as she will likely donate copies to your organization. 

------------------------------
Shari Cahill
silvercometawa.org
------------------------------

Hi Shari, Thank you for sharing these! I have never heard of humane education also being coined Social emotional learning. I can see how this terminology being used in a school setting can be very encompassing as its not just animals kids should learn how to interact with safely but other humans as well, to be Kind to every living thing. These are very helpful and I am also going to share these with my daughter who is a 3rd grade teacher

------------------------------
Patricia Mount
CVT/ACO
retired
------------------------------

Original Message:
Sent: 08-23-2023 11:30 AM
From: Shari Cahill
Subject: August 2023 Resource Drive: Humane Education Resources

As a reminder, humane education is sometimes termed 'social-emotional learning' which helps a wider audience understand the intent. In fact, many school curriculums now require elements of social-emotional learning.  An author local to me here in GA has written a book I looovee...."Abby the Crabby Tabby Discovers Gratitude". It's very well written and the illustration is impressive. There's also a free activity kit available on the website -- https://abbythecrabbytabby.com/ . For program use, I suggest contacting the author as she will likely donate copies to your organization. 

------------------------------
Shari Cahill
silvercometawa.org
------------------------------

Yes, self-awareness & character development are consistent with humane ed messaging -- kindness, compassion, empathy, responsibility -- are all early learning goals that apply to other people, animals, and the environment. To my mind, the responsibility concept needs to be more of a focus than it has been in the past. I incorporate a "life skills" piece in my presentations for middle school & up.  In looking at the issues by generation, it seems to me that there's a big gap in education on personal finances which has only this year become required in school curriculums in GA. Given that one of the primary reasons for owner surrenders is cost/unable to afford, I think addressing this early will help people understand budgets, investing, and basic self-sufficiency with a long-term goal of keeping pets in their homes. I LOVE what Tammy at Nebraska Humane has created for that very reason -- kids (and parents!) should develop realistic expectations for responsible pet care. (See #40 on this thread)

------------------------------
Shari Cahill
silvercometawa.org
------------------------------

Original Message:
Sent: 08-24-2023 07:08 AM
From: Patricia Mount
Subject: August 2023 Resource Drive: Humane Education Resources

Hi Shari, Thank you for sharing these! I have never heard of humane education also being coined Social emotional learning. I can see how this terminology being used in a school setting can be very encompassing as its not just animals kids should learn how to interact with safely but other humans as well, to be Kind to every living thing. These are very helpful and I am also going to share these with my daughter who is a 3rd grade teacher

------------------------------
Patricia Mount
CVT/ACO
retired
------------------------------


Original Message:
Sent: 08-23-2023 11:30 AM
From: Shari Cahill
Subject: August 2023 Resource Drive: Humane Education Resources

As a reminder, humane education is sometimes termed 'social-emotional learning' which helps a wider audience understand the intent. In fact, many school curriculums now require elements of social-emotional learning.  An author local to me here in GA has written a book I looovee...."Abby the Crabby Tabby Discovers Gratitude". It's very well written and the illustration is impressive. There's also a free activity kit available on the website -- https://abbythecrabbytabby.com/ . For program use, I suggest contacting the author as she will likely donate copies to your organization. 

------------------------------
Shari Cahill
silvercometawa.org

KARMA Rescue is preparing to launch its Animal Film Festival this October for 4th and 5th grade students as part of a collaboration with KYDS and the Los Angeles Unified School District. This component of our Humane Education Program is a youth development and empowerment curriculum using the power of film to develop empathy in conjunction with an SEL curriculum highlighting Upstander behaviors, moving the needle to build healthy, humane communities at the elementary-age level.  We are refining our Guidebook and curriculum at the moment.

------------------------------
Monica Wylie
Executive Director
KARMA Rescue
Santa Monica
------------------------------

This looks amazing! I'd love to see the curriculum when you've finalized it. One suggestion, if you don't have it included yet, is the Pixar short film "Kitbull". It's only 9 minutes, but very powerful messaging. I think it would be ideal for that age range. There is a vague reference to dogfighting so you'll want to preview. Happy ending for all though! And it was nominated for an Oscar! (should have won ;-)) Here's the link: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=AZS5cgybKcI

------------------------------
Shari Cahill
silvercometawa.org
------------------------------

Original Message:
Sent: 08-24-2023 10:35 AM
From: Monica Wylie
Subject: August 2023 Resource Drive: Humane Education Resources

KARMA Rescue is preparing to launch its Animal Film Festival this October for 4th and 5th grade students as part of a collaboration with KYDS and the Los Angeles Unified School District. This component of our Humane Education Program is a youth development and empowerment curriculum using the power of film to develop empathy in conjunction with an SEL curriculum highlighting Upstander behaviors, moving the needle to build healthy, humane communities at the elementary-age level.  We are refining our Guidebook and curriculum at the moment.

------------------------------
Monica Wylie
Executive Director
KARMA Rescue
Santa Monica
------------------------------

I know a lot of us are looking for hands-on resources to help engage students. Are you familiar with https://www.animalearn.org/? This is a 4D model loaner program focused on dissection alternatives. They also have virtual resources. Loads of offerings available for pre-K to vet school students. This would be very different from most of the programs teachers expect and would tie in nicely to their STEM requirements. 

------------------------------
Shari Cahill
silvercometawa.org
------------------------------

I recently purchased and wanted to mention a children's picture book, "Tucker Finds His Forever Home" by Beth Miller, founder of Wagtown ("a nonprofit that works with communities across the United States that want to be more dog friendly").  Their message and mission are so what we all so desperately want at this time!!

------------------------------
susan murphy
------------------------------

Hi Susan,

Thank you for your post. I looked up Tucker and what a wonderful story and already purchased it.  One of my non-profit's programs is humane education. I started initially as a Red Rover Reader and then partnered with the organization as I created the Kind is Cool program for my non-profit. This summer I extended the Red Rover's curated list of pets and farm animals story to include wild animals to align our readings with the summer program's theme. Encouraged by this growth, I want to venture into the inclusion of more titles about "pitbull" type dogs as there are few stories that do. I recently found just a handful so "Tucker" is a wonderful addition and I can't wait to incorporate it into my program. The other project I have in mind is to raise awareness about fostering but finding stories about fostering has been challenging. There are plenty of stories about adopting shelter dogs but again there are very few about fostering dogs. If you are aware of any, please let me know. 

Thank you so much for "Tucker"

------------------------------
Julielani Chang
The Life of Kai: Compassion Connections Inc.
Davis CA
------------------------------

Original Message:
Sent: 08-27-2023 07:20 AM
From: susan murphy
Subject: August 2023 Resource Drive: Humane Education Resources

I recently purchased and wanted to mention a children's picture book, "Tucker Finds His Forever Home" by Beth Miller, founder of Wagtown ("a nonprofit that works with communities across the United States that want to be more dog friendly").  Their message and mission are so what we all so desperately want at this time!!

------------------------------
susan murphy
------------------------------

Wow I am very excited to see humane education featured in this discussion!

I am going to echo a few posts and would recommend all humane educators and those interested in the field to check out the Association of Professional Humane Educators, APHE. The member organization was extremely valuable when I started working in animal welfare and humane ed programs. It continues to be a great organization to stay connected and inspired on a daily basis https://aphe.org/become-a-member

------------------------------
Robin O'Brien
Conference Operations Assistant
ASPCA
------------------------------

It seems remiss to not include "Maddie's Tail Wag" in this month's resource drive! Two age range versions are available and a Spanish language version, too. All can be downloaded from the link below. Great for adoption packs, classrooms or outreach events. The booklet version for younger kids can be ordered and shipped directly to you.  

Maddie's Tail Wag

Maddie's Fund		remove preview
Maddie's Tail Wag Maddie's ® Tail Wag is a collection of activities and coloring pages for animal lovers of all ages, now available for two different age groups! Children 6 & Under and kids 7 - 10 can color and learn to their hearts content. View this on Maddie's Fund >

------------------------------
Shari Cahill
silvercometawa.org
------------------------------

Another great (& free!) resource are the HSUS 'From Nose to Tail' curriculum kits. Ready-made lesson plans are included with hardcover Gryphon Press books.  Available in K-2 or 3-5 reading levels. The lesson plans can be downloaded from the website or paper copies in binders are included with the book request. Preview the books at https://www.thegryphonpress.com/ (along with many other humane ed titles that can be ordered in bulk for 50% discount).  

Submit request here:

From Nose to Tail

The Humane Society of the United States		remove preview
From Nose to Tail Are you interested in fostering a culture of kindness with elementary students? View this on The Humane Society of the United States >

.

------------------------------
Shari Cahill
silvercometawa.org
------------------------------

Thanks so much for starting this discussion and all the great resources! I'm a Humane Education Coordinator at Animal Welfare Association, an adoption center/clinic in New Jersey.  I've been working with animals my whole life but doing this specifically for only a year, and in that year we have more than tripled our program offerings. We have many that have already been mentioned but I'd like to share the ones that haven't and some activity ideas. 

We have an adult lecture series called TAIL Talks (like TED talks). We have local experts such as behaviorists and animal science professors speak on various topics. So far the most successful have been a Pet Therapy lecture with Pet Therapy Certifiers discussing what it takes to get certified, and a Pet Bereavement Discussion with a memorial succulent workshop component. 

We have recently added a "Kid's Night Out" where kids come for 3 hours on a Friday night to give parents a night off. This was a great fundraiser and kids played with our pretend pet clinic, read to the animals, did enrichment crafts, and had an animal cracker snack. 

We also just added a Homeschool Class Series- Animal Academy. Homeschoolers will come each month to learn various topics. Homeschooling is becoming much more prevalent across the country and students get the opportunity to socialize and learn in an unconventional classroom environment. 

We're currently hoping to add a toddler guardian and me style program to teach about gentle animal interaction. This will likely have little if any interaction with shelter pets and we will use pet therapy volunteers and stuffed animals, but we think it's important with so many choosing to surrender after having children or when children get to the age that they touch and grab pets. 

One activity that has been used again and again is an illustration of cat overpopulation. We got over 2000 mini cats (comparable ones found here) and we first show one "mama cat" and ask the kids to name her. We discuss how young cats can have kittens, and how many kittens they generally have at a time, etc. We then have 4 clear canisters that we use to represent 1,2,3,and 4 years of kittens reproducing, and in the end the final jar really does add up to over 2000 tiny cats. We let the kids pass around the (plastic) jar to feel how heavy it is and then ask things like "what if one of the cats in there got sick?". If on site, we then take out a humane trap and teach about TNR and vaccines. The kids actually love to see how the trap works! We then show them a DIY shelter and tell them it's something they can easily make with their parents to help a community cat.  The tiny cats were more expensive than we'd typically spend on an activity, but we've used them countless times at schools, on site events, tableings, etc. and they really get the idea across and leave a strong impression on all ages. 

A few more  things I'd like to mention is the AVMA  has great affordable and bilingual coloring books, that can also be printed for free if you don't intend to sell them. The dog bite prevention one is absolutely perfect and thinks of every detail.  Scholastic and Barnes and Noble also have discount programs with steep discounts on book ordering. Even if you think you don't qualify contact them and they let us in. 

 I'm happy to chat more!

Rachel Rowen

Humane Education Coordinator 

Animal Welfare Association 

rachelr@awanj.org

------------------------------
Rachel Rowen
Education Coordinator
Animal Welfare Association
------------------------------

APHE- the Association of Humane Education Professionals is a fantastic resource for anyone working in the field! 

Our membership organization connects humane educators internationally, we share ideas, resouces, and inspire. I'm especially excited that the upcoming APHE Conference, April 2024, will be in Buffalo, NY!

------------------------------
Kim Ferris-Church, M.S. Ed., CHES
(she/her)
Humane Education Manager
Lollypop Farm, Humane Society of Greater Rochester
------------------------------

Hi Kim, When will the conference be? I'm having trouble finding the dates/info on the website. Thanks!

------------------------------
Rachel Rowen
Education Coordinator
Animal Welfare Association
------------------------------

Original Message:
Sent: 08-31-2023 05:45 PM
From: Kim Ferris
Subject: August 2023 Resource Drive: Humane Education Resources

APHE- the Association of Humane Education Professionals is a fantastic resource for anyone working in the field! 

Our membership organization connects humane educators internationally, we share ideas, resouces, and inspire. I'm especially excited that the upcoming APHE Conference, April 2024, will be in Buffalo, NY!

------------------------------
Kim Ferris-Church, M.S. Ed., CHES
(she/her)
Humane Education Manager
Lollypop Farm, Humane Society of Greater Rochester
------------------------------

It will be April 24-26, 2024!

------------------------------
Kim Ferris-Church, M.S. Ed., CHES
(she/her)
Humane Education Manager
Lollypop Farm, Humane Society of Greater Rochester
------------------------------

Original Message:
Sent: 09-01-2023 08:25 AM
From: Rachel Rowen
Subject: August 2023 Resource Drive: Humane Education Resources

Hi Kim, When will the conference be? I'm having trouble finding the dates/info on the website. Thanks!

------------------------------
Rachel Rowen
Education Coordinator
Animal Welfare Association
------------------------------


Original Message:
Sent: 08-31-2023 05:45 PM
From: Kim Ferris
Subject: August 2023 Resource Drive: Humane Education Resources

APHE- the Association of Humane Education Professionals is a fantastic resource for anyone working in the field! 

Our membership organization connects humane educators internationally, we share ideas, resouces, and inspire. I'm especially excited that the upcoming APHE Conference, April 2024, will be in Buffalo, NY!

------------------------------
Kim Ferris-Church, M.S. Ed., CHES
(she/her)
Humane Education Manager
Lollypop Farm, Humane Society of Greater Rochester

Home | SACA Conference

SACA Conference		remove preview
Home | SACA Conference To Register as an attendee or a Vendor please scroll down to "Buy Tickets" on this page. If you are interested in a buy one get one free or a scholarship for 1 please email choffman@newnanga.gov for more details. View this on SACA Conference >

I do not know if this is allowed but the Southeastern Animal Control Association has scholarships and BOGO going on for the conference in  Orange Beach AL September 13-15.     Details are on the website at   Home | SACA Conference   

SACA Conference		remove preview
Home | SACA Conference To Register as an attendee or a Vendor please scroll down to "Buy Tickets" on this page. If you are interested in a buy one get one free or a scholarship for 1 please email choffman@newnanga.gov for more details. View this on SACA Conference >

       If not allowed then please remove.

------------------------------
Cyndi Hoffman
Newnan Police Department
------------------------------

Original Message:
Sent: 09-01-2023 10:41 AM
From: Kim Ferris
Subject: August 2023 Resource Drive: Humane Education Resources

It will be April 24-26, 2024!

------------------------------
Kim Ferris-Church, M.S. Ed., CHES
(she/her)
Humane Education Manager
Lollypop Farm, Humane Society of Greater Rochester
------------------------------


Original Message:
Sent: 09-01-2023 08:25 AM
From: Rachel Rowen
Subject: August 2023 Resource Drive: Humane Education Resources

Hi Kim, When will the conference be? I'm having trouble finding the dates/info on the website. Thanks!

------------------------------
Rachel Rowen
Education Coordinator
Animal Welfare Association


Original Message:
Sent: 08-31-2023 05:45 PM
From: Kim Ferris
Subject: August 2023 Resource Drive: Humane Education Resources

APHE- the Association of Humane Education Professionals is a fantastic resource for anyone working in the field! 

Our membership organization connects humane educators internationally, we share ideas, resouces, and inspire. I'm especially excited that the upcoming APHE Conference, April 2024, will be in Buffalo, NY!

------------------------------
Kim Ferris-Church, M.S. Ed., CHES
(she/her)
Humane Education Manager
Lollypop Farm, Humane Society of Greater Rochester

My apologies... I just realized we never announced the August Resource Drive winner on this post. 😳

The winner we randomly selected from everyone who participated on this post was @Renee Milner from Animal Shelter Alliance of Rhea in Tennessee! A belated public congratulations to you, Renee, and thank you to everyone who participated in the August resource drive. Renee won a $50 gift card to Amazon, Petco or PetSmart (her choice).  🎉  

------------------------------
Kim Domerofski (she/her)
Community Manager
Maddie's Fund
------------------------------