WHY HUMANE EDUCATION IS VITAL
Every year, thousands of dogs and cats make their way to the AC&C shelters. Some are beaten, starved, burned, or
terrified of a raised hand. Almost all are unneutered or unspayed. And almost all of were, at sometime, someone’s pet --
neglected or abused as they may be. This deluge of animals – flowing into the AC&C Shelters or directly into the hands
of rescuers -- is clear evidence that New York City has not addressed the root cause of pet overpopulation: pet owners
not “fixing” their animals.
Allowing your pets to reproduce … and reproduce … and reproduce (for example, in 6 years, one cat and her kittens can
produce 420,000 cats!) is a form of neglect. Lack of humane education – including the benefits to owners and their pets
of sterilization, is a major cause of pet homelessness and overpopulation.
Wholesale euthanization of animals by the AC&C is clearly NOT the answer to reducing the numbers of unwanted pets.
Spay/neuter is. This idea is not new. Back in 1947, the New York State Legislature created a law requiring that humane
care and treatment of animals be taught in elementary schools. This law was on the books decades before studies
finding a connection between abuse of animals and interpersonal violence.
Former Council Member Tony Avella, who sponsored a resolution to enforce compliance with that decades-old law. It is
the NYLHV’s belief that Speaker Christine Quinn was instrumental in shelving that resolution (Reso. 479) because of
personal friction with Avella.
The movement to bring Humane Education to our schools is now spearheaded by the group named H.E.A.R.T. This
private organization describes its goal as being:
Only when we begin to teach a new generation of children to love and respect animals, and the importance of caring for
these sentient beings (including spay/neuter), can we start to get a handle on controlling pet overpopulation and cruelty to
animals.
Every year, thousands of dogs and cats make their way to the AC&C shelters. Some are beaten, starved, burned, or
terrified of a raised hand. Almost all are unneutered or unspayed. And almost all of were, at sometime, someone’s pet --
neglected or abused as they may be. This deluge of animals – flowing into the AC&C Shelters or directly into the hands
of rescuers -- is clear evidence that New York City has not addressed the root cause of pet overpopulation: pet owners
not “fixing” their animals.
Allowing your pets to reproduce … and reproduce … and reproduce (for example, in 6 years, one cat and her kittens can
produce 420,000 cats!) is a form of neglect. Lack of humane education – including the benefits to owners and their pets
of sterilization, is a major cause of pet homelessness and overpopulation.
Wholesale euthanization of animals by the AC&C is clearly NOT the answer to reducing the numbers of unwanted pets.
Spay/neuter is. This idea is not new. Back in 1947, the New York State Legislature created a law requiring that humane
care and treatment of animals be taught in elementary schools. This law was on the books decades before studies
finding a connection between abuse of animals and interpersonal violence.
Former Council Member Tony Avella, who sponsored a resolution to enforce compliance with that decades-old law. It is
the NYLHV’s belief that Speaker Christine Quinn was instrumental in shelving that resolution (Reso. 479) because of
personal friction with Avella.
The movement to bring Humane Education to our schools is now spearheaded by the group named H.E.A.R.T. This
private organization describes its goal as being:
 | [D]edicated to helping schools comply with New York State’s Humane Education laws, which include: 1) Section | |
| 809 of the NYS Education Law, requiring all public elementary schools to offer instruction in the humane treatment of animals and lessons on the importance of spaying and neutering; and 2) Project SAVE (Safe Schools Against Violence in Education) legislation, requiring instruction in character education in grades K-12. |
Only when we begin to teach a new generation of children to love and respect animals, and the importance of caring for
these sentient beings (including spay/neuter), can we start to get a handle on controlling pet overpopulation and cruelty to
animals.
| . |
| Shelter Reform Action Committee (SRAC) ShelterReform.org: Everything you ever wanted to know about the AC&C, but were afraid to ask. |