Juvenile’s Arrest in Puppy-Abuse Case Prompts PETA to Send Empathy Curricula to Local Schools

For Immediate Release:
December 3, 2025

Contact:
Sara Groves 202-483-7382

Johnstown, Pa. –

Following reports that a juvenile was arrested in connection with a video showing two individuals hurling two puppies into a small outdoor pen, TeachKind—PETA’s humane education division—sent Greater Johnstown School District Superintendent Amy Arcurio an urgent letter today stressing the need for humane education that fosters empathy and respect for all living, feeling beings. TeachKind also sent kindness-to-animals educational materials, including “Empathy Now,” a guide to preventing violence by young people.

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The puppy-throwing video, which caused an uproar on social media, follows reports in July of a teen in Johnstown who allegedly stabbed a dog with a grill fork during a fight with a relative.

“Throwing a puppy is no more acceptable than throwing a baby, and young people need to be taught that abusing anyone is wrong,” says PETA Senior Vice President Colleen O’Brien. “As the saying goes, teaching a child not to step on a caterpillar is as valuable to the child as it is to the caterpillar, and TeachKind stands ready to help the Greater Johnstown School District teach its students that every individual deserves respect.”

TeachKind is also sending the school district its “Challenging Assumptions” curriculum, which helps secondary school students examine discrimination and other social justice issues; its “Share the World” program kit, which includes lessons that aim to foster empathy for animals and are appropriate for even the youngest learners; and a set of anti-bullying posters.

TeachKind notes that an epidemic of youth violence is surging nationwide, emphasizing the urgent need for humane education at every grade level. TeachKind’s resources are easy to integrate into schools’ existing curricula to help prevent future violence.

PETA—whose motto reads, in part, that “animals are not ours to abuse in any way”—points out that Every Animal Is Someone and offers free Empathy Kits for people who need a lesson in kindness. TeachKind offers free presentations, lessons, and other resources to help teachers add compassion to their curricula. For more information, please visit TeachKind.org or follow TeachKind on Facebook or Instagram.