Humane Education Program

It is our hope that providing a child with a solid foundation toward the humane treatment of animals will create an adult with compassion and respect for all living creatures. Many children will receive this at home, but many will not. Humane education programs are provided free of charge by Dreampower, reaching hundreds of children each year. It is a proven fact that people who are kind to animals are likely to be more compassionate toward their fellow human beings.

Two programs are available, and can be given separately or serially. They include: Pet Care, and Animal/Dog Bite Safety. We try to always provide age targeted handouts, which may include coloring books, stickers, bookmarks, instructional comic books, word puzzles and other materials. We try to bring one animal in to visit after the talks, and this will usually be a dog. When two volunteers can attend, then two animals may be brought in to visit.

All programs can be focused to a particular age group. We usually divide these into: pre-school, grades K-2 and grades 3-5. We don’t currently have anything for older children, but would welcome any suggestions or materials for older children. We can come in and speak about Dreampower and about spay and neuter to the older children, when requested.

Leave a voice-mail message for Humane Education at 390-7838. Please indicate a best time to call you, and we will return the call, usually within 1-2 days.

These programs are given by volunteers for Dreampower and are presented free of charge. However, we depend on donations to continue Humane Education and our animal rescue and adoption programs, so any contributions are gratefully accepted (and tax deductible!).

• Helping people recognize that all animals have needs and rights: most important the right not to be abused.
• Encouraging people to question their presumption that animals exist for human benefit and that human requirements always take precedence over those of other animals.
• Fostering empathy by stressing the many similarities between humans and animals.
• Teaching that one need not "love" animals in order to treat them with consideration and respect.
• Instilling the concept that all creatures matter, not just those we regard as cute, friendly, or economically beneficial.
• Helping people realize that humans do not own the planet, but share it with other animals.
• Humane education stresses the interdependence of nature.
• Leading people away from a restricting human-centered world view and toward an ethic that includes empathy and respect for all life.
• Encouraging people to find out more about other animals and their place in the environment through non-invasive, observational methods.
• Teaching people to understand and accept their responsibility to those animals they have chosen as companions, and to understand the consequences of irresponsibility.

Our humane education programs are presented mainly during weekday school hours. Occasionally there are evening or weekend presentations such as for youth groups or scouts. We offer two structured programs titled 'Animal Safety' and 'Pet Care'. Both programs are scripted, and can be tailored to fit the audience and time allotted - usually a half hour. The scripts are guides, and as you feel more comfortable with the programs and the subjects, you can tailor the presentations to your own style. These programs are available for pre-school through 5th grade, and are targeted for specific age groups.

Volunteering for the Humane Education presentations involve public speaking, operating video equipment, and of course handling your animal partners (and small children!). The presentation team is ideally two humans and two animals, but will many times be done with one human and one animal. DARF provides handout material for each presentation, ranging from coloring books and stickers for pre-schoolers to DARF pamphlets and other organizations’ pamphlets for older children.

To volunteer for this important part of DARF, you must provide transportation for yourself and animal partner, 'intern' for one or two presentations, and be willing to remain within the DARF philosophy. You should be comfortable in front of the audience, especially for masses of very young children. You will need to become familiar with all the materials and programs, and provide some materials such as cleanup supplies (for your partner's accidents). Your animal partner will usually be your own pet but may be a foster in the system and they need to be selected carefully. The animals that go to the presentations need to be very good around children. You will need to be familiar with your animal partner, and recognize when 'kid overload' takes over and then be able to remove them from a stressful situation (like a room full of unruly 4 year olds) if needed. We prefer you wear a DARF shirt or jacket and your DARF name badge to these programs. If you do not have a DARF shirt, please wear the DARF colors of purple or yellow, and your DARF name badge.

Remember that materials and expenses (such as shirts, paper towels and mileage) that you incur are tax deductible. Actual expenses (you need receipts!) can be deducted, and you may take mileage as actual expense or at a rate of 12 cents a mile (volunteer mileage for the 1996 tax year, per IRS). Keep a log of the miles that you drive for Dreampower activities. As DARF donations and budgets allow, we may be able to reimburse certain expenses. Please check with a board member before spending money on anything for which you expect reimbursement.