Humane Education

It's more than basic commands, entertaining tricks or strolling obediently at your knee. At Animal Humane Society, Humane Education is really about the humanity involved in treating animals and people right. For more than 50 years, we have reached out to the communities we serve to provide exceptional education and a proactive voice for animals. Knowledge, compassion and respect are the outcomes. Animals become happier, healthier and safer, and the young people who love them gain new insight into what it means to be human.

Why is humane education important?
Humane Education is the 'Golden Rule' extended to animals and life in general. At AHS, humane education is about promoting respect, empathy, and the value of the human-animal bond. Humane education is just one facet of character education, a concept that is gaining recognition and is now mandated by many states. In a time when strict education requirements often leave little room in the curriculum for so-called "extras," humane education provides a motivator for students to learn.  

In addition, humane education plays a critical role in helping to identify and address issues related to The Link.  The Link Studies show that there is a high likelihood that a person who commits a violent crime as an adult also committed acts of animal cruelty as a child. Also, there is frequently a connection between domestic violence and animal abuse. In households with domestic violence, pets are 15% more likely to be harmed or killed than in other households. In approximately 66% of domestic abuse households, the abusive parent had killed or injured the animal to discipline the child.  Through humane education, we hope to bring an end to this kind of violence.