After Teens Allegedly Burn Dog and Post Video of It, PETA Offers Humane Education

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

For Immediate Release:
September 1, 2017

Contact:
Megan Wiltsie 202-483-7382

After reports emerged over the weekend that a Guilford County teenager used an aerosol can and a lighter to shoot flames at a dog while her friend filmed the attack for social media, TeachKind—PETA’s humane education division—sent letters this afternoon to schools in the county urging them to implement humane education. The dog is currently being held at the Guilford County Animal Shelter and is expected to recover. Authorities are investigating.

TeachKind—whose motto reads, in part, that “animals are not ours to abuse in any way”—has asked the district superintendent to ensure that students know to report cruelty to animals when they see it and always take action when an animal is injured or in distress. The group has also offered the schools free “Bullies Are Just Cowards: Report Abuse When You See It!” posters and sent elementary schools its Share the World curriculum kits, which are appropriate for even the youngest learners and help schools comply with North Carolina’s character-education mandate. It supports teaching children to be considerate and compassionate and to do the right thing, even with others don’t.

“We’re facing a bullying epidemic, and as seen in the video, one young teenager burned a dog while her friend laughed and recorded it for social media,” says PETA Senior Director of Youth Outreach and Campaigns Marta Holmberg. “TeachKind is urging schools to implement humane education and to adopt an official policy against cruelty to animals that will help prevent a callous act like this one from occurring again.”

TeachKind notes that 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 the community at large. Its 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.