Because families with children are more likely to relinquish their dogs, shelters and humane societies increasingly focus on educating young people about responsible dog ownership. This education, by reducing bites and promoting responsible care, empowers children to drive positive change within their families.
Organizations planning humane education programs for children and youth can draw inspiration from successful global initiatives, including workshops, animal care badges (e.g., with scouts), school project assistance, and programs that use shelter dogs to address the cycle of violence. Some programs also target families and expectant parents.
Read also: Are you planning a humane education workshop? Read the full step-by-step resource guide here.
The following is a global list of humane education initiatives for young people, along with free teaching resources.
Jump to: Childhood Education | Teaching Resources
Childhood & Youth Education Initiatives
A sample list of childhood education initiatives and resources provided by dog welfare organizations, by country.
A | B | C | D | E | F | G | H | I | J | K | L | M | N | O | P | Q | R | S | T | U | V | W | X | Y | Z
A
Australia
Australian Government – Living Safely with Dogs
The Living Safely with Dogs Program, run by the government, teaches preschool children in Australia how to safely interact with dogs. Trained pet educators and their dogs deliver engaging presentations at preschools using interactive methods like chats, role-playing, stories, and songs.
Australian Government – Victor & Victoria’s Pet Town
Victor & Victoria’s Pet Town, developed by the government, is an online resource (available on desktop and as a mobile application), designed to teach children aged 4-12 about responsible pet ownership and safe interactions with dogs.
Paws & Reward – Dog Stars Program
Paws & Reward, a for-profit dog training business, offers a free presentation designed to teach primary school students about dog safety.
RSPCA – Aware
Aware by RSPCA is a portal for Australian children, covering topics on animal care and responsible pet ownership.
C
Canada
Ontario SPCA & Humane Society – AnimalSmart
AnimalSmart™, an initiative of the Ontario SPCA and Humane Society, offers free, curriculum-linked presentations to Ontario schools and community groups for students in grades 1-8. These sessions, delivered by volunteers, foster empathy and responsible attitudes towards animals.
Humane Society Hastings Prince Edward (HSHPE) – School Programs
HSHPE offers school visits (at schools or in shelter) with hands-on introductions to animals. These presentations, requested by schools or teachers, provide valuable animal interaction for children, some of whom may never have had a pet.
The Humane Society of Kitchener, Waterloo & Stratford Perth – Paws for Parents
Children ages 5-11 will enjoy a shelter tour, animal meet-and-greet, movie, and snack.
The Humane Society of Kitchener, Waterloo & Stratford Perth – School Presentations
School presentations are 45 minutes long and cover topics such as animal safety, animal communication, responsible pet ownership, pet overpopulation, animal-related careers, and animals in entertainment.
The Humane Society of Kitchener, Waterloo & Stratford Perth – Vets in Training
This program caters to animal lovers and aspiring veterinary professionals (ages 7-14+). Participants learn about various animal-related topics, tour the shelters, learn from medical professionals, and engage in fun activities. Sessions meet weekly for two hours over five weeks.
Saint John SPCA – Humane Education
The Saint John SPCA offers presentations for students from kindergarten to grade 12, available at schools, Scout groups, community/resource centers, workplaces, and summer camps.
G
Greece
Save A Greek Stray – Following a four paws friend: The World of Pets
Save A Greek Stray has developed an educational program, approved by Greece’s Ministry of Education and Religious Affairs, for students aged 6-11. Students will learn how to communicate with animals, behave responsibly towards both pets and strays, and understand proper animal care. The program also covers the important work of animal welfare organizations and shelters.
H
Hong Kong
SPCA Hong Kong – Animal Care Badge
This animal care badge sharing session teaches young people that animals have feelings and deserve our concern for their well-being.
SPCA Hong Kong – Education Talks
SPCA Hong Kong’s Educational Talks deliver four core messages to schools and communities: respect for life through animal care, careful pet ownership consideration, pet ownership as a lifetime commitment, and the “Adopt, Don’t Shop” philosophy. Content is tailored for different age groups, from kindergarten to tertiary/beyond. Educational talks are available for schools and organizations, both in-person and online, at a cost per session.
SPCA Hong Kong – Immersive Classroom
SPCA Hong Kong’s 270-degree immersive classroom offers engaging lessons on animal types, cat and dog breeds, daily pet care, and responsible pet ownership through interactive cartoons.
I
Ireland
Dogs Trust – Be Dog Confident Workshop
The Be Dog Confident Workshop helps children with mild anxiety around dogs develop confidence in their interactions, making encounters more positive for both the children and the dogs. It’s also beneficial for families who have dogs and frequently host visiting children.
DSPCA – Educational Talks
The DSPCA offers free virtual and in-person educational talks to crèches, schools, colleges, and community groups nationwide.
M
Malawi
Lilongwe SPCA (LSPCA) – Humane Education
LSPCA’s Humane Education program promotes animal welfare among young people in Malawi through five key approaches: rabies education, school art projects, public awareness campaigns, animal kindness clubs, and a humane education pilot program. Supported by World Animal Net (WAN) and RSPCA International, the pilot program delivers lessons to 160 students in urban and rural schools.
Malaysia
SPCA Selangor – Puppy Pawty and Kitty Pawty
Puppy Pawty and Kitty Pawty are low-cost educational programs that teach children and novices about animal care and handling. It includes safe handling, bite prevention, playtime, and basic obedience. On-site programs and private parties available.
SPCA Selangor – Visiting the SPCA Centre
SPCA Malaysia offers low-cost guided tours of its center, along with talks and/or interviews with SPCA officers, for students working on projects or assignments. While minimal guided interaction with the animals is available, these visits provide valuable educational opportunities.
N
New Zealand
Christchurh City Council – DogSmart School Programme
Developed by the Christchurch City Council Government, this interactive dog safety presentation teaches children how to avoid dog bites, approach unfamiliar dogs safely, understand basic dog owner responsibilities, and learn about the work of Animal Management Officers. The presentation aligns with the New Zealand Curriculum.
SPCA New Zealand – SPCA’s Kids Education Portal
SPCA’s Kids Education Portal is a portal for children in New Zealand, covering topics on animal care and responsible pet ownership through the use of videos and quizzes.
S
Singapore
SPCA Singapore – Educational Talks
SPCA Singapore offers 20–30 minute assembly talks at schools, learning centers, and youth organizations, covering the SPCA and its mission, animal welfare and responsible pet ownership, ways the public can help, and a Q&A session.
South Africa
Cape of Good Hope SPCA – Ani-Pals Program
Education Officers visit preschools and primary schools in greater Cape Town, teaching children about responsible pet care, animal welfare, and the SPCA’s mission.
U
United Kingdom (UK)
Dogs Trust – Workshops for Schools
Dogs Trust’s dog safety workshops help children aged 7-11 build safe and loving relationships with their dogs. These curriculum-linked workshops can also be adapted for 5-7 year olds when minimum booking requirements are met.
Scottish SPCA (SSPCA) – Animal Guardians
The Animal Guardians program helps children improve their relationships with animals through approximately ten weekly one-on-one sessions with a youth engagement officer. Using adaptable games, activities, and discussions, children learn about animal emotions, needs, and responsible animal care.
United States (USA)
Animal Humane Society – Paint My Pet (Kids Only)
Participants can create a portrait of their pet (dog, cat, rabbit, or any animal) with guidance from an experienced artist. All supplies (canvas, easel, etc.) are provided. Participants will take their finished painting home.
Brandywine Valley SPCA – Parents Night Out
Parents can drop off their kids aged 5-12 to have a blast cuddling adoptable animals, creating animal-themed crafts, learning fun animal facts, and watching an animal movie.
Butler County Humane Society – Animal Education for Students
Butler County SPCA staff visit schools, providing classroom programs. Thanks to a Tails That Teach grant, they offer Pre-K through 2nd graders the book “Love Me Gently” while teaching kindness, compassion, and empathy.
Butler County Humane Society – Badge Scout Earners
Scouts aged 8-12 can earn their animal badge in this 90-minute workshop, learning real-life dog and cat care skills and exploring shelter jobs like animal behavior, husbandry, enrichment, and medical care.
Butler County Humane Society – Student Requests for Projects
BCHS staff are available for up to 30 minutes (with advance notice) to assist students with classroom projects via phone, email, or in person.
Central California SPCA – Presentations
The Central California SPCA offers two school presentations: “All Dogs Can Bite,” which teaches how to react calmly when approached by a loose dog, and “Good Citizen Pets,” which promotes responsible pet ownership.
East Bay SPCA – BARK Program
Based on spcaLA’s Teaching Love & Compassion (TLC) concept, East Bay SPCA’s Bark program is a six-week, intensive after-school program in partnership with a local high school. Students train shelter dogs while learning about social justice, community issues, and public speaking, developing patience, compassion, and empathy.
East Bay SPCA – CARE Program
The CARE program, a series of three in-classroom workshops led by East Bay SPCA educators, teaches elementary students about responsible pet care and pet body language, and middle/high school students about compassion, positive training, and pet body language. A fixed fee applies.
East Bay SPCA – Presentations
The Oakland-based organization provides informative presentations about their community role and youth involvement opportunities, complete with a visit from a furry friend, for a fixed fee.
East Bay SPCA – Shelter Scout Program
Participants will engage in a variety of activities, including hands-on shelter tasks, educational sessions, creating enrichment, and animal socialization. Potential projects include making dog treats or cat toys, assisting with laundry or cleanup, creating adoption posters, preparing for events, and providing animal attention. Supervised by SPCA’s Humane Education staff.
East Bay SPCA – Workshops
East Bay SPCA offers interactive, one-hour workshops on animal body language, learning theory, positive reinforcement training, shelter diversion programs, and animal careers for a fixed fee.
MSPCA-Angell – Little Bookworms Story Time (Boston)
For a small fee per child, the MSPCA provides engaging, staff-led sessions. These sessions include animal-themed stories, songs, and games, and each session is joined by an adoptable animal. MSPCA staff are also available to answer questions about animal care.
Napa Humane Society – Free School Seminars
The Napa Humane Society offers two seminars: “Safe Around Dogs and Cats” for elementary school children and “Responsible Pet Care” for students in grades 2-5.
New Hampshire SPCA – Animal Pen Pals
The Animal Pen Pals program provides a unique opportunity to practice composing friendly letters and sharing ideas in writing. Open to children and adults of all ages, the program includes regular correspondence for up to a month, with the frequency of letters depending on how often you respond.
New Hampshire SPCA – Home School at the NHSPCA
Kids aged 8-12 can learn all about animal care and how to engage with animals through the NHSPCA’s bi-weekly lessons.
New Hampshire SPCA – NHSPCA in the Classroom
The NHSPCA offers classroom visits with lessons on dog adoption, pet enrichment, animal shelter careers, and animal body language.
New Hampshire SPCA – School Assemblies
The New Hampshire SPCA offers age-appropriate lessons focusing on pet enrichment, animal shelter careers, and understanding animal body language.
New Hampshire SPCA – Scout Badges
The New Hampshire SPCA offers various scout badges for Boy Scouts and Girl Scouts, including the Pets, Animal Helpers, and Voice for Animals badges.
New Hampshire SPCA – We LOVE Animal Nights
The New Hampshire SPCA offered a special Valentine’s Day program for children ages 7-11, providing parents with two hours of respite.
Oregon Humane Society – After School Clubs (Portland, Salem)
The Oregon Humane Society offers after-school clubs at its two locations, including Intro to Pet Training and Behavior, Animal Artisans Club, and Canine Compassion Club.
Oregon Humane Society – Classroom Presentations
Classroom presentations are available on dog safety, kindness and compassion, working dogs, companion animal superpowers, the Oregon Humane Society, animal careers, and live virtual Q&As.
Paws & Affection – Children Workshop
Philadelphia-based nonprofit Paws & Affection offers week-long workshops where children partner with service dogs in training. The two paid workshops cover topics ranging from canine body language to a deeper understanding of service dogs.
Richmond SPCA – Animal Brigade Service Club
The Richmond SPCA’s Animal Brigade Service Club teaches middle schoolers (grades 6-8) about animal welfare through volunteer projects and humane education. Activities include socializing and bathing dogs, making cat toys, collecting donations, learning about animal issues and homelessness, distributing treats, folding laundry, and learning about pet behavior and reward-based training.
Richmond SPCA – Paws for Reading
This unique dog visitation program, in partnership with William Fox Elementary School, allows students to practice reading skills in front of a well-behaved dog (owned by a Richmond SPCA volunteer) once or twice a month.
Roanoke Valley SPCA – Scouting Programs
These educational group visits include a shelter tour, an animal meet-and-greet (depending on availability), and materials for the Critter Care Merit Badge, Pets Badge, and Animal Helper Badge,
San Diego Humane Society – School Outreach Program
The San Diego Humane Society offers in-person and virtual presentations to local schools. They also host monthly virtual events with a Dr. Seuss Foundation Humane Educator, providing a tour of the shelter and information about the animals in their care and the people who help them.
San Diego Humane Society – Classroom Foster Program
This program allows teachers to foster a small pet in their classroom. This provides a break for the animal while it awaits adoption and offers teachers the opportunity to incorporate real-world lessons about responsibility, kindness, and respect.
Santa Cruz SPCA – Classroom Presentations
The Santa Cruz SPCA offers in-person and pre-recorded classroom presentations on topics like dog body language, pet care, animal adoptions, and animal-related careers.
spcaLA – Pet Care Patch Workshop
Pet Care Patch Workshops are available for children ages 6-12. Earning this patch teaches young animal-lovers about animals, including responsible pet care and ways to help animals in their communities.
spcaLA – Teaching Love & Compassion (TLC)
The Teaching Love and Compassion (TLC) program uses shelter animals to break the cycle of violence. Students learn positive dog training and how to make choices that positively impact animals, people, and their own lives. SPCA LA partners with local high schools, and the TLC program manual is available for purchase.
spcaLA – Youth Diversion Program
This TLC-based program is a 16-hour, two-day intensive class designed for youth aged 12-17 at the time of their offense who are involved in the justice system, including those eligible for diversion. Participants may have experienced issues such as animal cruelty, anger management challenges, bullying, and other related concerns.
SPCA Serving Erie County – Scout Compassion Programs
Scouts can earn badges at the SPCA through programs focused on pet care responsibility, meeting pets, and habitat cleanup.
SPCA Tampa Bay – “For All Animals” Exhibit
SPCA Tampa Bay and Great Explorations children’s museum have partnered to create the “For All Animals” exhibit. This interactive exhibit offers hands-on learning about animal care, safety, and health, while also exploring adoption and animal-related careers. A vet clinic area also lets children use replica equipment and simulated MRI and X-ray machines (sponsored by Pinellas Animal Foundation) to learn about veterinary care and careers.
SPCA Westchester – “Pup Art” Events
“Pup Art” activities include collaborative art projects with the animals, such as “Licks & Giggles” (face painting) and “Power of the Paw” (footprint art).
SPCA Westchester – School Presentations
The SPCA offers customized classroom visits and discussions on a variety of topics.
Tulsa SPCA
The Tulsa SPCA visits schools to present information about its mission, humane pet care, general animal needs, and understanding the differences between how pets and humans experience the world.
Teaching Resources
A sample list of teaching resources provided by dog welfare organizations, by country.
A | B | C | D | E | F | G | H | I | J | K | L | M | N | O | P | Q | R | S | T | U | V | W | X | Y | Z
A
Australia
RSPCA – Aware
Aware by RSPCA is a resource for Australian educators, providing units and lesson plans that cover topics such as the cost of owning a pet and how to protect animal well-being.
C
Canada
Regina Humane Society – Humane Classroom Kits
Teachers can access free classroom kits from the Regina Humane Society, providing everything from dramatic play resources to the opportunity for a “classroom fostering experience”.
H
Hong Kong
SPCA Hong Kong – Humane Education Package
This Humane Education Package explores ethical and moral topics not typically covered in daily studies. Through lessons on pet care, wildlife treatment, animal welfare, and animal protection law, students are inspired to think differently. Each chapter includes a lesson and activity plan, worksheets, a databank, and engaging images.
I
International
Global Alliance for Rabies Control (GARC) – Education Resources
GARC offers free, downloadable educational resources on its website, covering dog interaction, bite prevention, rabies control, and pet safety. These resources are available in multiple languages.
International Fund for Animal Welfare (IFAW) – Cats, Dogs and Us
Cats, Dogs, and Us educates students about cat and dog characteristics, their relationships with people globally, and the responsibilities of pet ownership. The program includes student magazines, lessons, charts, posters, a video, and a take-action guide.
N
New Zealand
SPCA New Zealand – Teachers’ Portal
The SPCA’s Teachers’ Portal offers innovative resources for early childhood educators and teachers of Years 1-9 in New Zealand. These materials provide real-life, meaningful contexts for teaching and learning, aligning with school curriculums.
U
United Kingdom (UK)
Dogs Trust – Free Learning Resources
Dogs Trust’s curriculum-linked classroom resources provide engaging, dog-themed activities designed to enhance learning outcomes for students aged 4-16+.
Pet Education Partnership – Learning Resources
Resources provided include animal fact sheets, careers involving animals, animal body language, sentience, and cost of owning a pet.
United States (USA)
American Humane Society – Be Kind to Animals Lesson Plans
The American Humane Society provides lesson plans and activities for teachers and parents to use with students from preschool to grade 5. These lessons focus on kindness to animals.
Animal Humane Society – Educational Activities
The AHS Humane Education team has created free, online animal-related educational activities for children of all ages. These resources—including games, story time, crafts, and more—offer fun, interactive ways to learn about animals, AHS, and how to protect animals in the community and beyond.
Best Friends Animal Society – Family Fun
Best Friends also offers helpful resources for teachers and parents, including a Dog Safety Song and “Dog Safety: Making Friends with Buddy”.
HEART – Humane Education Resources
HEART, a US humane education association, offers free teaching guides on various humane topics, including companion animals.
Humane World for Animals (formerly Humane Society US) – From Nose to Tail
“From Nose to Tail: Lessons to Inspire Care and Compassion for Dogs” is a humane curriculum designed to teach children about responsible pet ownership and animal welfare. Available in versions for grades K-2 and 3-5, the curriculum explores various dog-related humane issues, with a special focus on the problem of puppy mills. The materials are aligned with National Education and Common Core Standards in science, math, language arts, health, and social studies, making it a valuable resource for educators.
Kind News
Kind News is a magazine dedicated to fostering kindness towards animals and people. They provide a variety of free resources, including animal-themed lesson plans, ideas for classroom animal-help projects, and fun coloring pages and activities.
The Latham Foundation
In addition to grants, the Latham Foundation offers free videos for teachers covering topics such as animal-assisted activities and human-animal interactions.
MSPCA-Angell – Lesson Plans for Teacher
MSPCA-Angell offers a variety of lesson plans for elementary, middle, and high school students, covering topics such as staying safe around dogs and cats, exploring ethical dilemmas related to animals, and many others.
San Diego Humane Society – Humane Education Resources
The San Diego Humane Society provides resources such as crafts, recipes, activity pages, recommended reading, pet safety materials, and newsletters.
Santa Cruz SPCA – Classroom Presentations
The Santa Cruz SPCA offers free, pre-recorded classroom presentations on topics like dog body language, pet care, animal adoptions, and animal-related careers.
spcaLA – Activity Guides
SPCA LA offers arts, literacy, and pet enrichment activities, plus classroom presentations, for teachers to incorporate into their curriculum.
Tails that Teach
This Early Humane Education Curriculum is available to animal organizations serving children ages 5-8. It fosters strong human-animal bonds and promotes safe child-animal interactions through age-appropriate activities like crafts, games, and activity sheets.