AR-News: Letter: Where's Humane Education?

[jim robertson]

Where's Humane Education?

To the editor — I am outraged that the pigs in White Swan were beaten, 
sodomized and killed on April 23. Unfortunately, this is not an isolated 
incident. One can find a similar occurrence almost any day of the week in 
newspapers across the United States! How could anyone do this to a living 
thing? These intelligent creatures were gentle, loving, peaceable animals.

I am a high school teacher and will take in stray dogs and cats that show up 
on campus. I am always shocked that most of the students do not like, or are 
afraid of, dogs and cats! They taunt, hit, kick and throw rocks at them. 
They don't want to touch them or be touched by them. Where is this coming 
from? Are parents teaching their children to love and respect all life; to 
have compassion for and protect all helpless animals? I don't think so. We 
already teach character education. Is it up to the schools to also teach 
humane education? Isn't it a bit late to try and teach a 15-year-old to care 
and be compassionate? It just seems to me that parents are dropping the 
ball. Of course, there are many exceptions to this.

I would appeal to parents: Teach your children to love and respect life. 
Allow them to have pets and teach them to love and care for them. Be good 
role models and show them what responsible pet ownership is all about. 
Children from these homes don't kill animals for "fun."


JEANE O'HARA

Granger

http://www.yakima-herald.com/letters.php


"One of the most dangerous things that can happen to a child is to kill or 
torture an animal and get away with it" —  Margaret Mead.

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