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Activity Four
Making Humane Choices
For this final activity, students are presented with five situations in which they must make a decision to act on their understanding of animals’ needs and feelings. Students will be challenged to follow the ‘Golden Rule’—a basic concept in many cultures throughout the world—as it applies to human-animal relationships.

You can introduce this activity by writing the Golden Rule—‘Do unto others as you would have them do unto you’—on the chalkboard and reviewing it with the class. Invite students to react to it, telling how it applies to our relationships with animals. Then ask: How have humans treated animals according to this rule? How have they failed to follow this rule? Have volunteers give positive and negative examples. Then distribute the activity sheets.

Answers
Answers will vary. Sample answers are given.
1. How this situation fails to live up to the Golden Rule: The bear has become bored and disoriented, and his or her basic needs (such as exercise and protection from the sun) are not being met. What you can do: Report what you have seen to zoo officials. If you get no satisfaction from them, write letters to newspapers.

2. How this situation fails to live up to the Golden Rule: No one has stopped to help the injured bird or even move him or her to a safer place off the street. What you can do: Ask an adult to take the bird to a veterinarian for treatment, or call your local animal shelter for help; while waiting, protect the bird from further injury.

3. How this situation fails to live up to the Golden Rule: The dog’s basic needs for food, water, exercise and companionship appear to be ignored by his or her guardian. What you can do: Notify the dog’s guardian that the dog appears to be in need of food and water throughout the day; if the situation does not change, contact a local animal protection group like the SPCA (Society for the Prevention of Cruelty to Animals) and tell them as much information about the situation as you can.

4. How this situation fails to live up to the Golden Rule: The turtle has been removed from his or her natural habitat, denying the animal not only his or her home and community, but possibly threatening his or her life as well. What you can do: Convince your friend to very carefully return the turtle to the exact same spot where he or she was found.

5. How this situation fails to live up to the Golden Rule: Carrying a chicken in this manner causes him or her pain and risks injury. What you can do: Suggest to the person carrying the chicken that the chicken needs to be transported in a more humane manner. If the problem continues, contact a local animal protection group.

Follow-Up Activities
1. Help students conduct a ‘Media Watch’ for reports of events involving animals on television, on the radio and in newspapers. Have them share what they have discovered with the class once a week at a designated time.

2. Suggest that students undertake a letter-writing campaign in response to reports of practices that may harm animals. Help them draw up a list of influential people to write to in support of the needs of animals—state officials, politicians and other authority figures in the community. Have students report back on any replies they receive to their letters.

3. Have students research and create illustrated posters listing and explaining ‘do’s and don’ts’ of the best companion animal care to people who live with companion animals. Display the finished posters on the bulletin board.

Extended Activities
1. Arrange a ‘zoo-checking’ field trip to a local zoo or animal park. Have students note the animals’ environments and physical conditions. Do they pace, bite the bars or show other signs of unhappiness or discomfort? Encourage students to look for ways that zoo conditions could be improved and to list improvements they would make.

2. Help the class organise a Compassionate Citizen ‘Compassion Expo’ assembly in their school. Devote a full class day to this event, which can feature displays on animals and their care and behaviour, information booths, videos and special guest speakers from local animal protection groups. Then invite the entire school community to participate in your Expo.

3. Assign students to write a research paper on the animal species they chose to learn more about earlier in the programme. Have them include information on the animal’s characteristics and behaviour, why the animal should not be harmed or killed and what traits he or she shares with us as a living, feeling being.