Youth & Humane Education Program
In the broadest sense, the mission of Mackenzie’s Animal Sanctuary’s Humane Education program is to assist in public education for the betterment of our local animal community. Currently, we are seeking to develop and implement a K-12 humane education curriculum which aligns with and enhances the current Michigan Merit Curriculum. Through our efforts, Mackenzie’s Animal Sanctuary will accomplish three fundamental goals: advocate character education by promoting kindness, respect, and empathy for companion animals;and provide students with service learning opportunities.
Character education is an important facet of school learning. Mackenzie’s Animal Sanctuary believes that caring, responsibility, respect for self and others, and a strong work ethic are core values that enable students to become compassionate and empathetic adults. According to the ASPCA, the goal of a humane education program “at its most basic level. . .is about fostering kindness, respect and empathy for both human and nonhuman animals” (ASPCA), and aspires to George Angell’s philosophy that children who learn kindness and respect for animals mature into caring and compassionate adults. As the largest no-kill animal shelter in the Midwest, Mackenzie’s is in a unique position to not only educate students about the plight of shelter animals, but to demonstrate that we truly understand the value of animals’ lives.
