The Guardian Campaign addresses topics including how to start a humane education program in your community (i.e. a grassroots effort to raise public awareness, a club, etc.) Towards this end they offer free downloads of lesson plans and materials for educators, homeschoolers, and others who want to teach anyone from grades 2 through college age and beyond.
Their philosophy:
“I promise to:
- Make a lifetime commitment to my animal companion
- Adopt animals only through responsible rescues and ethical breeders
- Spay or neuter my animal companion for their health and to prevent overpopulation
- Provide nutritious food, fresh water and daily exercise for my animal companion
- Care for the emotional needs of my animal companion
- Understand and work through my animal companion’s behavioral issues
- Treat my animal companion with compassion and gentleness
- Report suspected animal abuse or neglect
- Call myself and others “guardians” rather than “owner”
- Encourage others to embrace guardianship
The Guardian Campaign
The Guardian Campaign promotes the usage of the term guardian instead of owner when referring to our animal companions. More than an exercise in semantics, this shift promotes a more compassionate relationship between person and animal. Although the term does not change any legal standing, guardian connotes the responsibility we have for the care, welfare, treatment, and quality of life of an animal in our charge.”
Some of their first suggestions:
“Know your community. Each community has different animal-related problems. Talk to community leaders to get a grasp of issues and priorities and possibilities. Meet with members of the Chamber of Commerce, the Rotary Club, the Junior League, and other influential organizations to set goals and plan programs that have their support.
Assess your resources. Determine the cost of offering a humane education program. Consider time, transportation, and materials, among other expenses. Will you depend on volunteers, paid staff, or both? Can you secure donated materials? How will you publicize the program? How much time will be involved in selling the program to your audience? The answers to these questions will help you fashion a program that’s achievable within your budget.
Determine your audience. Humane educators bring their message to everyone from pre-schoolers to retirees in continuing education classes. You need to decide whom you want to reach and how often. Knowing your audience will help focus your outreach and maximize your resources.”
