Animal Rescue Superhighway

Animal Rescue Superhighway

by Elisa Black-Taylor
(USA)

Melanie's cat Bella

Two useful tags. Click either to see the articles: Toxic to cats | Dangers to cats

Melanie's cat Bella

Melanie's cat Bella Melanie and Tiny

Good morning readers. Today I'd like to share some good news with the readers at PoC and tell everyone about Animal Rescue Superhighway located in Steubenville, Ohio. I've done a little research on programs similar to theirs, but unfortunately no one with the other groups ever got back to me.

Melanie VanNuys, executive director of Animal Rescue Superhighway asked me if I'd help spread the word about the wonderful work they do. I'm especially impressed with the kids program, which is called Koala Kid's Club.

The club, which is part of their organization, is open to children from kindergarten through sixth grade. This is the age to begin teaching our children to respect and care for animals.

I read an article written by a school teacher several years ago that stated a child's moral path is set by the time they exit fourth grade. I strongly believe that.

So does Melanie. Studies show that children who learn kindness towards animals will take what they've learned and show empathy toward adults. Since Melanie asked me to do this article to promote their group, I'm going to copy some of their goals and research statistics.

The benefits of their K-6 program are as follows:

• Promoting self-esteem;
• Empowering children;
• Increased sense of responsibility by reaching children to be caregivers;
• Helping children develop the ability to speak up for those who can’t speak for themselves;
• Teaching children how their actions and behaviors can have a direct impact on the people around them and their environment;
• Promoting compassionate behavior;
• Teaching children to work through problems with pets which can transfer into the problems they encounter with their peers.

Statistics show some shocking numbers relating to animal abuse leading to the abuse of people. I did a very important article called Kids Killing Cats that backs up what her organization believes. I still believe this to be the most important article I've ever written for pictures-of-cats.org, as it lists the facts and percentages of animal abusers who later became serial killers.

Animal Rescue Superhighway lists the percentages as follows:

Statistics show that 70% of animal abusers have committed at least one other criminal offense and almost 40% of animal abusers have committed crimes against people.

 
As if those statistics alone don't identify the need for humane education, here are a few more:
 
--36% of serial killers admitted to committing animal cruelty as children;
--46% of serial killers admitted to committing animal cruelty as adolescents;
--36% of serial killers admitted to committing animal cruelty as adults

The organization also offers a lot of information on both cat and dog breeds. They also offer help in transporting, crossposting, and finding missing pets.

In August of this year, the Superhighway will sponsor a walk called Walk 4 Paws. They are looking for animal lovers across the country to form teams and walk with them to raise awareness of three very important issues.

* The prevention of animal abuse, cruelty and neglect;
* Banning BSL - Breed Specific Legislation;
* The importance of spaying and neutering your pets

Please take a look at this page for more information on the Walk 4 Paws. http://www.animalrescuesuperhighway.org

Thank you for bringing your wonderful group to my attention. It's nice to have something good to write about for a change.

Readers, do any of you have groups similar to this? With all of the animal lovers out there I feel there have to be more of these worthwhile organizations.

And Melanie, if I've left anything out of this article, please feel free to add to it in the comment section.

For the readers here I have one question. Think this one over carefully. At what age do you think a child must be taught to love animals? I would say no later than age 9. Readers, I'm not lying when I say I've seen evil in a 10 year old boy. And I was correct. He enjoyed torturing hamsters. So I know evil does exist in the young and you've got blinders on if you can't admit it. Groups such as Koala Kid's Club can and do make a difference. We all need to support every group we can find that believes in teaching the very young.

I'm curious to what everyone else has to say. Have any of you ever seen or known an evil child? One who enjoyed torturing small animals. I think the answers I'll receive back on this article may surprise some of you.

Elisa

Comments for
Animal Rescue Superhighway

Average Rating starstarstarstarstar

Click here to add your own comments

Mar 17, 2011
Rating
starstarstarstarstar
Martha
by: Michael

Please look at this:

https://pictures-of-cats.org/Martha-Kane-education-2.html

That is educating children on animal welfare!

Michael Avatar


Mar 17, 2011
Rating
starstarstarstarstar
It is about children
by: Michael

I so much agree with Melanie. It is about the children. Every child who learns to love animals might lead to many more over the years loving animals.

Adults are already "set". Some like and some hate and some disrespect animals.

Young children are a blank sheet. Let's ensure that they are taught the right way.

One person is doing this! Her name is Martha and she lives in Malta:

Martha Kane Educating Children

Michael Avatar


Mar 17, 2011
Rating
starstarstarstarstar
Thank You!
by: Melanie VanNuys

Elisa,

Thank you for writing this article on our organization - we really appreciate your help in spreading the word of our efforts.

I sincerely believe that in order to make a difference and truly make a dent in animal abuse, cruelty and neglect statistics, we have to reach out to children - and the younger the better. It is my hope that those who read this article will take the time to learn more about what we're doing and tell others. There are many children out there who need the education. Today's children really ARE Tomorrow's Ambassadors.


Mar 17, 2011
Rating
starstarstarstarstar
Agree
by: Michael

Hi Elisa, I agree that children can and should learn to respect animals as soon as possible.

This could start at a very young age. Infant age. In Britain we have girls becoming pregnant at aged 10 or 11! Rare but it happens.

And yes, children can be evil at aged 10. The most celebrated case in the UK was that of the murder of James Bulger. He was abducted, tortured and murdered by two 10-year-old boys, Robert Thompson (born 23 August 1982) and Jon Venables (born 13 August 1982).

There was a more recent case where two boys almost killed two others. They had a complete disregard for the consequences of their actions.

Animal cruelty seems to be not uncommon amongst very young children unless as you say they are taught to respect and indeed love our fellow creatures on this planet.

For me it is down to parenting a lot of the time. There is too much neglectful and even maliciously bad parenting in the UK.


Leave a Comment

Your email address will not be published. Required fields are marked *

follow it link and logo

Note: sources for news articles are carefully selected but the news is often not independently verified.

I welcome and value comments. Please share your thoughts. All comments are currently unmoderated.

This blog is seen in 199 of the world's country's according to Google Analytics which is pretty much the entire world.

Scroll to Top