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Animal Rights Outreach to Youth

ISO mature and motivated individuals who are aren’t afraid of a long-term commitment to helping animals. Must like kids and be willing to make a difference in the lives of the next generation of animal rights activists.

No, this isn’t a lonely hearts ad! We’re just “seeking” experienced activists to reach out to young people and get them interested in animal rights issues. Since young people are usually more receptive to new ideas, and since children have a natural empathy for animals, it is important that we teach them to make compassionate choices that will affect how they live the rest of their lives at an early age. As adult activists, we can mentor children so that they will take action for animals who are poked and prodded to slaughter each year by the meat industry, for those whose necks are broken or whose bones are crushed in traps to make fur garments, for those who languish in laboratories, and for the countless others suffering everywhere, such as the animals beaten in circuses and zoos, living in the streets, or fleeing the encroachment of housing developments. Here are a few ideas of how you can get active for youth today:

Veganize the local school cafeterias.
Write letters to your alma mater to inquire about animal use and written dissection-choice policies for students. Demand alternatives. Ask your child’s teacher to use alternatives to animal dissection. Check out TeachKind.org for resources.
Write letters to keep animals out of entertainment, whether it’s a circus or kids’ movie.
Take your kids, younger relatives, and school groups to volunteer with your local humane shelter or sanctuary to learn about animals rather than taking them to cruel circuses or zoos.
Order gifts at PETAMall.com to spread the message of compassion while helping to support PETA’s programs.
Offer to speak at a meeting for a school’s environmental club, a Boy Scout or Girl Scout troop, or a faith-based youth group. Be sure to check out some speaking tips.
Organize a local leafleting at a school. Take a look at PETALiterature.com for a full catalog of what we have to offer. If you need help choosing what to distribute, just let us know.
Post links to PETAKids.com and peta2.com on youth Web sites and Web forums to encourage young people to enter contests and check out interviews with some of their favorite musicians.
Order free copies of Grrr!, PETA’s magazine for kids. Leave them in doctors’ offices, waiting rooms, etc.
Donate animal rights books to your school and community library.
Hand out animal rights stickers at Halloween. All our stickers can be viewed at PETALiterature.com.
Create a library display or, even easier, request our “General Vegetarian” or “Chicken’s Life” poster sets and ask to display them in your local library.
Help your child write a letter to the editor.
Hang up flyers around your local college campus, near record stores, or in other areas frequented by young people.
Host a potluck for your friends and their children using great recipes from VegCooking.com.
Table or leaflet at a mall, library, concert, or sporting event. Request bulk copies from us.
E-mail our peta2 team to request special literature and materials to put out in your local record stores.
Volunteer to be an official “advisor” or “moderator” for a high school or college animal rights club.
Give a talk at your local college on animal rights or easy dorm vegetarian recipes.
Table or leaflet at a local college and help students get connected with resources to start an animal rights club if they haven’t already established a group.
Set up vegetarian starter kit stands at local colleges. Contact us, and we’ll help you get started.
Compile a local vegetarian dining guide to include with a vegetarian starter kit to help students who are new to the area find great veggie restaurant options.