Incidents of Cats Reportedly Shot by Teens Prompt PETA to Offer Humane Education

Group Stresses Need for Kindness in the Classroom

For Immediate Release:
February 22, 2016

Contact:
Catie Cryar or Nina Kahn 202-483-7382

At least three cats in San Antonio have recently been killed by BB guns, which authorities believe are being used by local adolescents to target the animals. TeachKind, PETA’s humane-education division, is rushing letters to local schools urging them to implement humane education in classrooms immediately. TeachKind and PETA—whose mottos read, in part, that “animals are not ours to abuse in any way”—are also offering free copies of their “Abuse: Report It if You See It” poster to area schools in the hope of preventing future abuse.

“Teaching kids to be kind does as much for the children as it does for the animals, because kids who abuse animals and never have this behavior called out often continue to behave violently,” says PETA Senior Director of Youth Outreach and Campaigns Marta Holmberg. “TeachKind is calling on local schools to implement lessons on kindness to animals and remind students to report cruelty when they see it.”

TeachKind notes that according to leading mental-health professionals and law-enforcement agencies, perpetrators of violent acts against animals are often repeat offenders who pose a serious threat to the community at large. TeachKind’s staff is available to send materials to schools, suggest lesson plans, and even host classroom presentations with students via Skype—all for free.

TeachKind’s letter to schools in San Antonio is available upon request. For more information, please visit TeachKind.org.