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The Humane Exchange

The Cruel Truth About Cruelty

Posted June 12, 2008

People have a tendency to think about violence and abuse in terms of the categories of victims in society. It’s an approach that has yielded separate areas of study and statistics, such as child abuse, animal abuse, domestic violence and abuse of the elderly

Kids and Cats -- A Bond to Celebrate

Posted June 5, 2008

We hear and see a great deal in the media about the special bond that exists between children and dogs. This bond is rightfully celebrated, but I often wonder: What about cats? It’s ironic that such beautiful animals have an image problem.

Forced out to Pasture

Posted May 29, 2008

I grew up on a farm with horses and saw firsthand how dependent these domesticated animals are on their owners. Yet an alarming trend has recently emerged: tens of thousands of them are being abandoned “in the wild” or secretly dumped on neighbors’ land. Many are old, infirm or difficult to handle. All are vulnerable to starvation, the elements, painful and untreated injuries, and extreme distress, making them the victims of the severest kind of neglect.

Fostering Awareness

Posted May 22, 2008

recently watched a movie called The Martian Child about a young boy in foster care who is adopted by a recently widowed man. The child initially refuses to come out of a large cardboard box, convinced that he is an alien incapable of withstanding sunlight. While this may sound like little more than a whimsical Hollywood plot, I think it captures how many of the approximately 510,000 American children in foster care truly feel.

New Research Center Fulfills an Old Dream

Posted May 15, 2008

In addition to envisioning a nation where no child is ever a victim of abuse or neglect, those of us at American Humane have long dreamed of establishing a world-class research center to help us reach this goal. We’ve imagined such a center not as an “ivory tower,” but a forum where the best and brightest researchers and practitioners from around the world can collaboratively develop knowledge, test its relevance in the real world and truly make a difference for the nearly one million U.S. children who are abused and neglected every year.

A Race Against Inhumanity

Posted May 8, 2008

When American Humane was founded in 1877, the organization immediately began advocating for the humane treatment of horses and other working animals. More than 130 years later, we’re as committed as ever to ensuring that horses receive proper care and treatment. With this legacy of protection in mind, I have been carefully watching the controversy surrounding Eight Belles, the filly euthanized immediately after she finished the Kentucky Derby.

Can One Week Make a Difference?

Posted May 1, 2008

Be Kind to Animals Week® -- an American Humane tradition since 1915 -- begins on May 4. As this landmark week approaches, I’m struck by the fact that such a long legacy is as relevant today as it was 93 years ago. This is the case not only because the message of treating animals with kindness is timeless, but also because we have so much work left to do to create a more humane world.

Tough Economic Times, Tough Choices

Posted April 24, 2008

Foreclosure. Unemployment. Inflation. Bankruptcy. Debt. Recession. The vocabulary of economic gloom has taken over the news lately. Amid the barrage of statistics, trends and market forecasting, I try to stay focused on the fact that it’s not really “the economy” that’s struggling. It’s you, me and everyone we know. Whether we talk about it in terms of the Consumer Price Index or our latest trip to the grocery store, the bottom line is the same: times are tough.

ABCs and Empathy: Teaching Kids to Care

Posted April 17, 2008

Some parents play Mozart for their babies in hopes of enhancing intellect. Some purchase educational video games that promise to make reading and math enjoyable. Others, knowing that mastery of a sport usually starts early, require their kids to participate in Little League or basketball camp.

Don’t rush to judgment. Rush to kindness.

Posted April 10, 2008

Most of us know all too well what it’s like to be on an airplane seated near a crying baby. Our first reaction is to roll our eyes and ask the person in the next seat why this always seems to happen. We might even grouse about how “parents need to control their children.” By the time the flight comes to an end, we may be close to screaming ourselves.

American Humane Enters the Blogosphere

Posted April 3, 2008

When I first joined American Humane, I was in awe of the organization’s rich history. Four years later, I still find myself humbled whenever I take on a new project, in part because doing so means continuing a legacy that extends back to 1877.