Raising Awareness

Because we believe that the general concern for Animal Welfare in our Society varies and in many cases is nonexistent, we have therefore started a Raising Awareness programme as an eye opener in parallel with our popular knowledge-based Educational Programme.

Raising Awareness is a programme of direct interaction with animals at the Center, to stimulate correct behavior towards animals. The objective of this programme does not only aim at the care of animals, but also at human behviour towards animals. HCAW believes in the established connection that animal abuse and child abuse are related.

The incidence of these two forms of abuse provides an incentive for parents and teachers to promote and to instill the core values for leading a compassionate life while re-enforcing the belief that any method of cruelty is unacceptable, and that kindness to animals promotes kindness amongst people. Raising Awareness offers many important social benefits including empowering children, increasing their sense of responsibility by instructing in care giving skills and by helping children to express natural feelings of kindness and compassion.

Direct contact with animals at the Center stimulates children to express those natural feelings of compassion. This tactile approach supports our Educational Programme in understanding and appreciating diversity and which teaches them about animals and their importance in our lives and in our environment.