NEWS that Yorkshire has one of the UK’s highest instances of complaints of animal abuse (“North Yorkshire second in the country for animal cruelty convictions - ‘outrage’ over brutality”, The Press, March 29) serves as a stark reminder of the importance of teaching children about empathy for animals from an early age.
While it’s crucial that witnesses report all known or suspected cases of cruelty to animals to authorities immediately and that our legal system ensure that perpetrators be given the maximum sentence – including prison time, counselling, and a lifetime ban on keeping animals – it would be much better if we could prevent animals from being abused and neglected in the first place.
And we could make great progress towards this goal by requiring humane education in schools.
Children who learn to consider the feelings and rights of others – to see the “us” in “them” – stand a good chance of growing into kind, benevolent citizens and peaceful community members.
Teachers can download PETA’s humane-education pack at ShareTheWorld.org.uk.
Jennifer White, PETA UK, London
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