Teens’ Arrest in Fatal Beating of Hundreds of Chickens Prompts PETA Action
PETA’s Humane Education Division Contacts Schools About the Importance of Addressing Cruelty to Animals
For Immediate Release:
October 6, 2014
Contact:
Alexis Sadoti 202-483-7382
Following the arrests of four teenagers, three of them minors, for allegedly beating more than 900 chickens to death with golf clubs at a Foster Farms plant in Caruthers, TeachKind—PETA’s humane education division—is dispatching letters to schools in Fresno County calling on educators to begin teaching students about the importance of being kind to animals. In addition to the direct impact on the animals who are hurt or killed, experts know that uncorrected acts of violence can lead to other anti-social behavior.
“Kids who abuse animals and never have their behavior called out and corrected often continue behaving violently, confirming what FBI officials call the link between violence to animals and violence to human beings,” says PETA Director of Youth Outreach and Campaigns Marta Holmberg. “Teaching young people to be kind to everyone has as much benefit for the children as it does for the animals.”
TeachKind and PETA—whose motto reads, in part, that “animals are not ours to abuse in any way”—are offering to send humane education lesson plans and posters titled “Abuse: Report It if You See It” to each school in the area in the hope of preventing other incidents. Even the FBI recognizes the importance of this problem and has now turned cruelty to animals into a top-tier felony. Countless animals have been saved by concerned people picking up the phone to report that a dog is chained outside without food or water or that their neighbor is poisoning cats.
TeachKind’s staff is always available to send free materials to schools and host free classroom presentations with students via Skype. TeachKind helps kids learn to have empathy for all living beings before they ever lash out violently against anyone.
TeachKind’s letter is available upon request. For more information, please visit TeachKind.org.
