·“BE KIND TO ANIMALS” WEEK, PART 2:
THE QUIET CRUSADE OF CHILDREN HELPING ANIMALS

“Never doubt that a small group of thoughtful, committed citizens can change the world; indeed, it's the only thing that ever has.” – Margaret Mead, Anthropologist

Any adult who has ever been rebuked by a child for putting an aluminum can in the trash instead of the recycling bin has understood firsthand the power of children to make small but important changes to their community. For many children, the need to properly care for and protect animals is self-evident and a large component is learned from their parents, guardians, teachers and other adults around them.  Over the last ten years, however, the Humane Society of Southern Arizona has helped to foster a “quiet crusade” of children determined to better the living conditions of both wild and domesticated animals.  Whether it is the boy who gives up his Bar Mitzvah gifts and asks for donations to help animals instead; or the Girl Scout troop who organizes a community pet food drive, children are showing remarkable leadership in the area of animal welfare.  As part two of our series celebrating “Be Kind to Animals Week,” HSSA presents a few recent examples of how local youth are making a difference every day!

• RICHARDSON ELEMENTARY SCHOOL: As part of the Humane Society’s community service program for local schools, Richardson Elementary has been a shining example of ingenuity and generosity.  Their schoolwide money and materials drive is held every spring and raises more supplies for the benefit of HSSA animals than any other single source in southern Arizona.  Over the last three years alone, Richardson Elementary has raised nearly $8,000 in donated cash and supplies.  Their key to success may lie partially in their creativity.  Each donation drive is kicked off with a dramatic performance conceived of and executed by the students.  This year’s performance, which relayed the plight of homeless animals, we enhanced by a visit from a “talking” Underdog, played by an HSSA alumnist named “Snickers.”
  
  
  
• TEEN INTERNS HELP PREMARIN HORSES: This past Saturday, members of the HSSA Youth Intern Program engaged in a cooperative program with Equine Voices, a local horse sanctuary that rescues animals from the cruel premarin industry.  The interns, ranging in age from twelve to fifteen, helped clean stalls, groom the horses and clean hooves.  In turn, the experience provided many of these city-dwelling kids with their first extensive interaction with horses as well as information on an exploitive business that still causes thousands of horse deaths in North America every year.

There is an indisputable connection between animals and kids. Some of our children’s first experiences with stewardship are fostered on non-humans in the home, at school, or around the community. HSSA’s children’s programs include the Hand-in-Paw Kids Club, youth internship program, summer programs, training and educational classes, and specialty programs for at-risk youth. Additional information on these programs and the child-animal bond can be found online at www.hssaz.org; or by contacting the HSSA Education and Cruelty Prevention Resource Center at (520) 881-7405, Mondays through Fridays.

“BE KIND TO ANIMALS” WEEK, PART 1
“BE KIND TO ANIMALS” WEEK, PART 3
“BE KIND TO ANIMALS” WEEK, PART 4
“BE KIND TO ANIMALS” WEEK, PART 5