Bountiful High to Receive PETA Empathy Curricula After Baby Chicks Found Abandoned in Parking Lot

For Immediate Release:
October 2, 2026

Contact:
Sara Groves 202-483-7382

Bountiful, Utah –

Following reports that two baby chicks were used in a homecoming dance proposal and then abandoned in a church parking lot near Bountiful High School, TeachKind—PETA’s humane education division—is sending free empathy-building books, stickers, and other humane education resources to the school, along with a letter to school administration, urging them to take this opportunity to teach students that every animal is someone—and should be treated with kindness and respect.

According to news reports, a volunteer with Wasatch Wanderers learned about the chicks after someone posted on Facebook that they had been found and were “free to anyone that wants them.” The organization arranged for a foster to bring the chicks to safety and said they would not have survived the elements without intervention.

Empathy Now, An Educator’s Guide. Credit: PETA

“Chicks, just like all animals, are thinking, feeling individuals who should never be used as disposable props,” says PETA Senior Vice President Colleen O’Brien. “Humane education encourages young people to treat others with kindness and to speak up when they witness abuse, and TeachKind stands ready to support the Bountiful High School community.”

PETA notes that a stuffed animal, handmade sign, or clever theme can make a special occasion memorable without putting anyone at risk. TeachKind offers schools, educators, and parents free lessons, virtual classroom presentations, advice, and other materials that foster compassion for animals while supporting academic learning.

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 more information about PETA’s humane education resources, please visit TeachKind.org or follow TeachKind on Facebook and Instagram.