NON PROFIT photo by Brenna Ewing
TEACHING For Animals Children Compassion
By B r enna Ew in g , H u m a ne E duc at io n M a n a g e r,S a n ta Cru z SPCA
The first time I walked into an elementary school classroom, with my teaching partner Lupita, I was extremely nervous. Lupita, on the other hand, was totally at ease and ready to provide the kids with a really good story. When the kids first saw Lupita their expressions showed a mix of interest, excitement, and concern. They were concerned because Lupita is missing one of her
legs; although, it doesn’t seem to affect her confidence. She is always ready to share with the children how losing a leg hasn’t slowed her down at all. So the concern on the children’s faces usually melts away once they see how happy and enthusiastic Lupita is. You see, Lupita is a three-legged Chihuahua who was rescued from the streets of Juarez, Mexico. She visits many classrooms
80 Summer 2011 | The American Dog Magazine
with me to teach children not only about dog safety and caring for animals but also about how being “different” is perfectly okay. These kinds of character lessons are included in of all my presentations so that, even though they may be generally about animals, they are easily relatable to people or even the environment. The