2 Sample letters Requesting the Need for Humane Education in schools - Australia

Dear [insert name here],
 
There has always been anecdotal evidence supporting the connection between animal cruelty and violent behaviour against people. The 'Son of Sam' murderer in New York City, for example, reportedly (Washington Star, 1977) hated dogs and killed a number of neighbourhood animals. Another newspaper article (Washington Post, 1979) reported a mass killer as having immersed cats in containers of battery acid as a child. Albert De Salvo, the notorious Boston Strangler, trapped dogs and cats, placed them in orange crates, and shot arrows through the boxes (Fucini, 1978).
 
In addition to this anecdotal evidence, there have now been a number of psychological studies carried out which show links between childhood cruelty to animals and later criminality. In some cases, such acts were a precursor to child abuse. Some of these reports were commissioned by humane societies in an attempt to persuade Government authorities of the seriousness of animal cruelty cases, including the Kellert/Felthouse study.
 
The Kellert/Felthouse study, confirmed a strong correlation between childhood cruelty to animals and future antisocial and aggressive behaviour. It stressed the need for researchers, clinicians and societal leaders to be alert to the importance of childhood animal cruelty, and suggested that the evolution of a more gentle and benign relationship in human society might be enhanced by our promotion of a more positive and nurturing ethic between children and animals.
 
Such path-finding studies are of key importance for society and educators alike. Amongst their findings are:
 
in one community in England, 83% of families with a history of animal abuse had been identified as having children at risk from abuse or neglect;
of 57 families treated by New Jersey's Division of Youth and Family Services for incidents of child abuse, pets had been abused in 88% of cases, usually by the parent; a behavioural triad of cruelty to animals, bed wetting and fire setting in childhood is strongly indicative of likely violent behaviour in adulthood; and
there is a significantly higher incidence of behaviour involving cruelty to animals, usually prior to age 25, in people who go on to commit mass or serial murders.
 
A book published in 1999 brings together useful research in this area and charts some actions already being taken to address this problem. It is titled: 'Child Abuse, Domestic Violence, and Animal Abuse: Linking the Circles of Compassion for Prevention and Intervention'. When someone is ill-treated or relegated to a demeaning position in society, they often respond by venting their frustration on someone whose societal position is even lower than their own. By destroying or tormenting the weak, such as an animal or a child, the oppressor becomes the master who has, in turn, tortured them. The anger is directed at an innocent instead of the perpetrator of their own victimisation, and it is difficult to break the cycle of abuse.
 
Humane education is needed to develop an enlightened society that has empathy and respect for life, thus breaking the cycle of abuse. The aim is to create a culture of caring. It is also a sound investment - working on the prevention of criminality and antisocial behaviour, which can have a massive societal cost, both in terms of reduction in 'quality of life' and in financial costs incurred through criminal damage, maintenance of law enforcement systems, court costs, prison systems and juvenile work.
 
The following claims were made for humane education by the US National Parent-Teacher Association Congress in 1993:
 
"Children trained to extend justice, kindness, and mercy to animals become more just, kind and considerate in their relations to one another. Character training along these lines in youths will result in men and women of broader sympathies; more humane, more law-abiding - in every respect more valuable - citizens. Humane education is the teaching in schools and colleges of the nations the principles of justice, goodwill, and humanity towards all life. The cultivation of the spirit of kindness to animals is but the starting point toward that larger humanity that includes one's fellow of every race and clime. A generation of people trained in these principles will solve their international difficulties as neighbours and not as enemies."
 
The practice and reinforcement of kindness, of care and compassion towards animals, through formal and non-formal educational processes is, thus, viewed as having a range of positive spin-offs in terms of pro-social attitudes towards people of a different gender, ethnic group, race, culture or nation.
 
Please present this to your colleagues. It appears the negation of animals as sentient beings is so rampant in this society from it's universities, science labs, schools etc that perform vivisections and cruel experiment on countless animals, to that of the cruel practices of intensive farming. It all reflects that human beings are moving in a very negative and downhill direction. It is an serious indicator!! Respect and protection by the law for animals in all areas is where vital change must begin.
 
Sincerely
[Your Name]
[Your Address - optional]
 
 

Sample Letter No 2.

Dear [Name]

There has always been anecdotal evidence supporting the connection between
animal cruelty and violent behaviour against people. The 'Son of Sam'
murderer in New York City, for example, reportedly (Washington Star, 1977)
hated dogs and killed a number of neighbourhood animals. Another newspaper
article (Washington Post, 1979) reported a mass killer as having immersed
cats in containers of battery acid as a child. Albert De Salvo, the
notorious Boston Strangler, trapped dogs and cats, placed them in orange
crates, and shot arrows through the boxes (Fucini, 1978).

In addition to this anecdotal evidence, there have now been a number of
psychological studies carried out which show links between childhood
cruelty to animals and later criminality. In some cases, such acts were a
precursor to child abuse. Some of these reports were commissioned by
humane societies in an attempt to persuade Government authorities of the
seriousness of animal cruelty cases, including the Kellert/Felthouse
study.

The Kellert/Felthouse study, confirmed a strong correlation between
childhood cruelty to animals and future antisocial and aggressive
behaviour. It stressed the need for researchers, clinicians and societal
leaders to be alert to the importance of childhood animal cruelty, and
suggested that the evolution of a more gentle and benign relationship in
human society might be enhanced by our promotion of a more positive and
nurturing ethic between children and animals.

Such path-finding studies are of key importance for society and educators
alike. Amongst their findings are:

in one community in England, 83% of families with a history of animal
abuse had been identified as having children at risk from abuse or
neglect;  of 57 families treated by New Jersey's Division of Youth and
Family Services for incidents of child abuse, pets had been abused in 88%
of cases, usually by the parent; a behavioural triad of cruelty to
animals, bed wetting and fire setting in childhood is strongly indicative
of likely violent behaviour in adulthood; and  there is a significantly
higher incidence of behaviour involving cruelty to animals, usually prior
to age 25, in people who go on to commit mass or serial murders.

A book published in 1999 brings together useful research in this area and
charts some actions already being taken to address this problem. It is
titled: 'Child Abuse, Domestic Violence, and Animal Abuse: Linking the
Circles of Compassion for Prevention and Intervention'. When someone is
ill-treated or relegated to a demeaning position in society, they often
respond by venting their frustration on someone whose societal position is
even lower than their own. By destroying or tormenting the weak, such as
an animal or a child, the oppressor becomes the master who has, in turn,
tortured them. The anger is directed at an innocent instead of the
perpetrator of their own victimisation, and it is difficult to break the
cycle of abuse.

Humane education is needed to develop an enlightened society that has
empathy and respect for life, thus breaking the cycle of abuse. The aim is
to create a culture of caring. It is also a sound investment - working on
the prevention of criminality and antisocial behaviour, which can have a
massive societal cost, both in terms of reduction in 'quality of life' and
in financial costs incurred through criminal damage, maintenance of law
enforcement systems, court costs, prison systems and juvenile work.

The following claims were made for humane education by the US National
Parent-Teacher Association Congress in 1993:

"Children trained to extend justice, kindness, and mercy to animals become
more just, kind and considerate in their relations to one another.
Character training along these lines in youths will result in men and
women of broader sympathies; more humane, more law-abiding - in every
respect more valuable - citizens. Humane education is the teaching in
schools and colleges of the nations the principles of justice, goodwill,
and humanity towards all life. The cultivation of the spirit of kindness
to animals is but the starting point toward that larger humanity that
includes one's fellow of every race and clime. A generation of people
trained in these principles will solve their international difficulties as
neighbours and not as enemies."

The practice and reinforcement of kindness, of care and compassion towards
animals, through formal and non-formal educational processes is, thus,
viewed as having a range of positive spin-offs in terms of pro-social
attitudes towards people of a different gender, ethnic group, race,
culture or nation.

Please present this to your colleagues. It appears the negation of animals
as sentient beings is so rampant in this society from it's schools that
perform vivisections on live dogs like Gunnison High School recently, to
that of the cruel practices of intensive farming reflect that human beings
are moving in a concerning direction. It is an indicator. Respect for
animals in all areas is where vital change begins.

Sincerely,

[Your Name]

[Your Address]

Buddhist IndexBuddhist Links |  Tibet  |
How you can help those who have no voice - Animals
Poetry & Writing IndexLife & Adventures |
Animals Rights and Welfare Letters Urging Reform