Humane Educator Toolkit
Welcome to the Humane Educator Toolkit website! Here you will find the Online Resource Library as well as more indepth answers to the following questions: What is humane education? and why focus on animals?
Online Resource Library
All programs and lessons in the Online Resource Library are stand-alone. You can use as many as you wish, in any order, and adapt them to meet the needs of your students. Click the buttons below to access the resource material and to read more about the rationale for including each resource in your teachings.
What is Humane Education?
The goal of humane education is to inspire empathy and compassion for animals, people and the environment. Although there is no singular definition of humane education, most practitioners and prosocial organizations agree that fostering respect, compassion and kindness, alongside skills in critical thinking and perspective taking, are fundamental to building a more humane world.
Understanding that animals, people and the environment are interconnected and interdependent is another key aspect of humane education. Students are encouraged to think about the natural world and their place within it, and then evaluate how their attitudes and behaviours impact others, animals and the environment.
The ultimate goal of using a humane education pedagogy is to encourage young people to be active and engaged citizens who are equipped with the knowledge, skills and attitudes required to create meaningful and sustainable changes for their own well-being, and the well-being of all living things.
Humane Education vs. Animal Welfare Education
Animal welfare education refers to specifically to fostering knowledge, attitudes and skills that promote well-being in animals. Animal welfare education is one component of humane education. Animals are often a great way to begin discussing issues that impact all living things and the environment, as people tend to have a natural affinity towards animals. Exploring our relationship to animals can help shape us as individuals and therefore impact how we relate to the environment more broadly.1
A humane education program focused on caring for animals and nature can positively impact prosocial behaviours such as helping, cooperating and sharing in elementary students.2,3 Proponents of humane education also believe that student understandings about kindness and caring towards animals will generalize when interacting with people.4,5
Why teachers?
In a recent survey of Alberta teachers, self-reported data revealed that teachers see themselves playing an essential role in teaching young people about animal welfare.6 Along with parents, they are the primary educators of youth, and role models for promoting caring attitudes and behaviours towards animals. Barriers identified by teachers to implementing humane or animal welfare education include a lack of resources and insufficient professional development to help them prepare to adequately address animal welfare in classrooms. This humane education toolkit aims to provide such information, so that teachers can bolster empathy and respect for all living things in the classroom, explain its importance to interested others, and remain in alignment with curricular outcomes.
References:
Auger B., Amoit C. (2017). Testing and extending the Pets as Ambassadors Hypothesis: The role of contact with pets and recategorization processes in predicting positive attitudes towards animals. Human-Animal Interaction Bulletin, 5(1) 1-25
Samuels, W. E. (2018). Nurturing kindness naturally: A humane education program’s effect on the prosocial behavior of first and second graders across China. International Journal of Educational Research, 91(July), 49–64. doi.org/10.1016/j.ijer.2018.08.001
Samuels, W. E., Meers, L. L., & Normando, S. (2016). Improving upper elementary students’ humane attitudes and prosocial behaviors through an in-class humane education program. Anthrozoos, 29(4), 597–610. doi.org/10.1080/08927936.2016.1228751
Ascione, F. R. (2005). Children & Animals: Exploring the Roots of Kindness & Cruelty. West Lafayette, Indiana: Purdue University Press.
Sprinkle, J. E. (2008). Animals, empathy, and violence: Can animals be used to convey principles of prosocial behavior to children? Youth Violence and Juvenile Justice, 6(1), 47–58. doi.org/10.1177/154120400730552
Logan, M. (2020). Teachers perceptions and pedagogical practices related to the inclusion of animals and their welfare in elementary classrooms [unpublished masters dissertation]. University of Edinburgh
Why Focus on Animals?
Animals are intrinsically interesting to children and capture their imagination and emotions. Pet ownership statistics from 2020 indicate that 58% of Canadian households have at least one dog or cat,1 and this statistic doesn’t account for households that include other pets, like small mammals, reptiles, or fish. Many children consider their pets as one of their most important relationships, even more so than siblings in some cases.2 Even if children do not grow up with pets, they are surrounded by animals in some form from an early age. They often see animals in their stuffed toys, mobiles above the crib, pictures in books, characters in cartoons or movies and even imprinted on their clothing.3
Animals also connect us to the natural world, and our interactions with animals have a profound effect on our natural world. Beyond companion animals, we are interconnected through agriculture/food, medical and other animal-based research, entertainment, and through interactions with wildlife. Most all animals have been shown to be sentient4 which strengthens our obligation to ensure that future generations understand their needs and inherent value.
Most young people are intrinsically motivated to treat animals well. Using these natural feelings can be a catalyst for fostering empathy and compassion in young people and provide a base for their ongoing social and emotional development. Humane education programs focused on animals have improved prosocial behaviours6 and reduced violent and aggressive behaviours in students.7 Furthermore, research suggests that children who have been exposed to animal neglect or abuse may benefit from humane education programming, as it can provide an opportunity to interrupt the cycle of violence.8,9
References:
- Canadian Animal Health Institute (2021). 2020 Canadian Pet Population Figures Released. Available at: https://cahi-icsa.ca/news/2020-canadian-pet-population-figures-released
- University of Cambridge (n.d.) Pets are a child’s best friend, not their siblings. Available at: https://www.cam.ac.uk/research/news/pets-are-a-childs-best-friend-not-their-siblings
- Arkow, Phil. (2010). Animal-assisted interventions and humane education: Opportunities for a more targeted focus. In Aubrey (Ed), Handbook on Animal-Assisted Therapy. New York: Academic Press.
- Proctor, H., Carder, G., & Cornish, A. (2014). Searching for animal sentience: A systematic review of the scientific literature. Retrieved from: https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC4494450/
- Hawkins R., Williams, J. and Scottish Society for Prevention of Cruelty to Animals. (2017). Assessing the effectiveness of a nonhuman animal welfare education program for primary school children. Journal of Applied Animal Welfare Science, 20(3), pp. 240-256.
- Samuels, W. E. (2018). Nurturing kindness naturally: A humane education program’s effect on the prosocial behavior of first and second graders across China. International Journal of Educational Research, 91(July), 49–64. Retrieved from: https://doi.org/10.1016/j.ijer.2018.08.001
- Sprinkle, J. E. (2008). Animals, empathy, and violence: Can animals be used to convey principles of prosocial behavior to children? Youth Violence and Juvenile Justice, 6(1), 47–58. Retrieved from: https://doi.org/10.1177/1541204007305525
- Komorosky D. & O’Neal K.K. (2015). The development of empathy and prosocial behavior through humane education, restorative justice and animal-assisted programs. Contemporary Justice Review 18(4) pp:395-406.
- Faver, C. A. (2010). School-based humane education as a strategy to prevent violence: Review and recommendations. Children and Youth Services Review, 32(3), 365–370. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.childyouth.2009.10.00
Acknowledgments
Thank you to the following individuals and organizations for their contribution to elements of this toolkit.
Michele Anholt, DVM, PhD, University of Calgary, Senior Specialist
Donna Crawford, EdD, Education Consultant
Aimee Dumont – Artist (Seven Sacred Teachings)
Gloria Ho, Artist (Watercolour animals)
Tammy Johnston, MEd, Birch Tree Educational Consulting Services, Education Consultant
Gracie Kobe, Animal Ambassador (Five Needs Video Series)
E. Ann Lukey, DVM, MSc, BEd, PBiol – Educator and Veterinarian
Keith Pudwill, BSc, BEd, Edmonton Public Schools, Teacher
Jessica Szewczuk – Visual Storyteller (Five Needs of Animals Poster)
We are also deeply grateful for the members of our teacher advisory committee who have provided feedback on the resources in the toolkit.
This toolkit was made possible in part through a grant from the Animal Welfare Foundation of Canada.
For a report on the pilot project, please see: Humane Educator’s Toolkit Review.
