Sue O’Neill
Program Manager,
Promising Practices Project
Humane education fosters empathy, combats animal
cruelty, and addresses gender-based violence, creating safer, more compassionate communities through awareness and action.
With reports that shelters are beyond capacity this holiday season, the need for solutions has never been greater. Humane education can help create a kinder society by addressing both animal cruelty and human violence. Humane Canada’s Promising Practices Project is a three-year initiative funded by Women and Gender Equality Canada to develop education programs to engage men and boys as allies in preventing gender-based violence.
“Animals are frequently used as tools to coerce and harm victims/survivors, causing fear and control that perpetuates the cycle of violence. This underscores the importance of humane education that reaches youth and addresses the root causes of violence,” says Sue O’Neill, Program Manager of the Promising Practices Project.
Fostering a kinder generation
Through humane education, children and youth learn to practise empathy and value all living beings. This not only helps prevent animal cruelty, it also raises critical awareness about the link between violence against animals and humans. People who harm animals are more likely to harm other people, making education a key factor in breaking this cycle.
Under the Promising Practices Project, educators, gender-based violence specialists, and animal welfare organizations are working together to create programs that teach empathy, conflict resolution, and the broader impacts of violence on both animals and humans.
Through humane education, we can foster a generation that values kindness and non-violence. By addressing the causes of cruelty and promoting empathy, humane education has the potential to protect animals and reduce violence, leading to safer, more compassionate communities.
Humane Canada is a leading national charity dedicated to promoting animal welfare and preventing cruelty. Its programs aim to address critical animal welfare issues. It represents over 60 member Humane Societies and SPCAs across Canada.
To learn more and donate, visit humanecanada.ca.
