Puppy Shot by Teens, Prompting PETA to Offer Humane Education

Group Stresses Teaching Kindness in the Classroom

For Immediate Release:
February 26, 2016

Contact:
Sophia Charchuk 202-483-7382

Following reports that two Rock Hill teens allegedly shot a puppy 18 times with a BB gun, TeachKind, PETA’s humane-education division, is rushing letters to local schools urging them to implement humane education in their classrooms immediately. TeachKind and PETA—whose mottos read, in part, that “animals are not ours to abuse in any way”—are also offering free copies of their “Abuse: Report It if You See It” poster to area schools in the hope of preventing future abuse. The puppy is expected to recover.

“Kids who behave violently toward animals and never have this behavior called out often continue to behave violently,” says PETA Senior Director of Youth Outreach and Campaigns Marta Holmberg. “TeachKind is calling on local schools to implement lessons on kindness to animals and to remind students to report cruelty when they see it.”

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. 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.

TeachKind’s letter to schools in York County is available upon request. For more information, please visit TeachKind.org.