What is Humane Education?

Simply put, humane education fosters empathy in individuals for all living beings and the earth. At PAWS, we offer a variety of programs that nurture the empathy inherent in every child by teaching them how to appreciate, respect and help companion, wild and farm animals.  These programs range from facility tours and classroom visits to mentoring students working on special projects related to animals.  Through these programs we inform young people about issues that animals face, and empower them to make a difference in their communities and across the globe. 

The Value of Humane Education
The value of humane education programs is backed by research. A 1997 study conducted by Northeastern University and the Massachusetts Society for the Prevention of Cruelty to Animals found that over a 20-year period, a group of individuals who had abused animals as youths were five times more likely to commit violent crimes, four times more likely to commit property crimes and three times more likely to have drug or disorderly conduct offenses than a matched group of non animal abusers. PAWS is working hard to remedy these statistics by nurturing the empathy and compassion inherent in every child.

PAWS’ humane education programs help teachers bring community leaders into the classroom, broaden career horizons for students and meet character education mandates and Washington State Essential Academic Learning Requirements.  PAWS’ programs assist scout and group leaders in meeting badge requirements and introducing youth to charities and community services.

The PAWS Humane Education Program
The PAWS Humane Education Program is welcomed into schools and community groups throughout the greater Seattle area. For a list of current offerings, visit the parents and teachers section of the kids website.

The Success of the PAWS Humane Education Program
There is a critical need for humane education in the Greater Seattle area, and the PAWS Humane Education program provides tangible benefits to the community.
An opinion survey is administered to all children at the beginning and end of PAWS' most in-depth humane education program, Kids Who Care. The survey has two goals. The first one is to discover the current knowledge base and opinions on various animal related issues, which helps in preparation of following classes. The second one is to provide an evaluation tool, measuring the success of the goals of the program. Current opinion surveys have revealed marked attitudinal changes in key areas.
Some significant pre-to-post test changes were:

"It is okay to keep dogs on chains all the time."
Pretest: 21% agree / Post-test: 5% agree

"Wild animals can be tamed into pets."
Pretest: 34% disagree / Post-test: 90% disagree

"Dogs and cats need to be able to come inside a house with people."
Pretest: 58% agree / Post-test: 72% agree

"Dogs and cats should be spayed and neutered."
Pretest: 14% agree / Post-test: 80% agree


Teacher Feedback
Evaluation forms are also given to host teachers. Participating classroom teachers gave the workshops high marks in regard to the age appropriateness, content of activities and speaker's presentation. The following comments on evaluations forms and letters reflect the quality of PAWS' program:

• “I feel that this program does a lot of teaching about animals to kids in a fun and memorable way. The information is something that they can use and apply in real life. Every PAWS educator I have met has been caring and obviously loves kids and animals. I hope we can do this program indefinitely.”

• "Thanks so much for the fourth-grade PAWS workshops. I appreciated that the topics were informative, educational and of high-interest. The kids really enjoyed having you in the class and they learned a lot. I hope that we can repeat this program next year for the new fourth-graders. Thanks!"

• "The kids in this class have limited experiences with animals, so these classes have been very important, especially the lessons about safety with animals. Thank you."

Participation in the PAWS Humane Education Program
Programs are limited to the availability of educators and seasonal changes in schedules, so please contact PAWS at least two weeks in advance of the date you want to schedule a tour or visit to your location.
If you would like to participate in a PAWS program or require more information, please contact the Humane Education Coordinator.