Teen’s Conviction for Stomping Dog to Death Prompts Call for Humane Education

PETA Stresses Need to Teach Anti-Bullying and Compassion in the Classroom—for Whole Community’s Sake

For Immediate Release:
May 16, 2017

Contact:
David Perle 202-483-7382

After a Flint teenager was sentenced to up to a year in jail for helping her sister’s boyfriend bind a dog’s face and legs with electrical tape and stomp on his neck until he died for urinating on clothing, TeachKind—PETA’s humane-education division—sent letters today to schools in the district urging them to implement humane education.

TeachKind—whose motto reads, in part, that “animals are not ours to abuse in any way”—has asked the district superintendent to include a specific prohibition on cruelty to animals in the district’s policies. The group has also offered the schools free “Bullies Are Just Cowards: Report Abuse When You See It!” posters.

“We’re facing a bullying epidemic, and this teenager helped stomp on a dog’s neck until he died,” says PETA Senior Director of Youth Outreach and Campaigns Marta Holmberg. “Empathy must be taught, and TeachKind is urging schools to implement humane education and encourage students to report any cruelty to animals that they witness.”

TeachKind notes that the boyfriend had previously faced charges of domestic violence. 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 humans and the community at large. TeachKind’s staff is available to send materials to schools, suggest lesson plans, and even host classroom presentations for students via Skype—all for free.

The group’s letters are available upon request. For more information, please visit TeachKind.org.