Humane Education

How do we learn the values of compassion, respect and empathy?

Whether you are a parent, an educator or a concerned citizen, this question is critical. The American Humane Association's multi-faceted Humane Education Program can help you answer it.

We believe that one of the best ways to protect children and animals -- and, on a broader scale, create a more humane world -- is through humane education that teaches kindness toward other people, animals and the environment.

Our humane education efforts take many forms. We develop classroom curricula that emphasize character development. We give workshops on how to be an effective humane educator, why humane education is important, and dog bite prevention. We also provide grants to leading humane education programs across the country, and are working to bring humane education to our nation's children's museums.

Want to get involved?

You can start by learning more about our current humane education initiatives, which include:

American Humane KIDS: Kids Interacting with Dogs Safely™
This dog-bite prevention program will help teachers of 4- to 7-year-olds meet the "character lessons" component of the national mandate for schools while helping reduce the millions of dog-bite incidents affecting children every year.

Trainings and Workshops
American Humane's experts offer a multitude of humane education workshops and trainings designed for a wide range of children and adults, such as Captivating Kids With Character Lessons, Safe Handling of Cats and Dogs, and Empowering for Compassion.

Mini-Grants for Humane Education
American Humane recognizes the country's leading humane education programs by providing mini-grants to help sustain these programs' vital work.

The American Humane Children's Museum Exhibit
We have designed an interactive exhibit that teaches valuable lessons about the important role pets play in our lives and how to care for them. The exhibit will travel to children's museums across the country.

For more information about American Humane's Humane Education Program, please contact Jane Greco Deming, director of American Humane's Humane Education Department, at humaneed@americanhumane.org.