Teaching the ethical treatment of animals

Posted by Philissa at 2:44 PM

Did you know there's a law on the books requiring schools to teach about the humane treatment of animals? Neither did I, but according to an article in today's Daily News, a Queens lawmaker is trying to get the law enforced and at least one Manhattan school is adhering to it. At Hunter College Elementary School, kids in the Animal Club learn the difference between pet and wild animals, how to treat all animals with respect, and why pets ought to be spayed or neutered.

Tony Avella, a City Council member from Queens, has proposed a bill that would require the DOE to send a memo to principals reminding them about the humane education law, in effect since 1947. The Humane Society wants you to tell Speaker Christine Quinn you support the bill, which hasn't advanced since Avella first proposed it last year. I'd be interested to see where in the litany of testing schools could find time to teach about being nice to animals.