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HUMANE EDUCATION


Did you know that many states have curriculum requirements for humane and character education? This education involves teaching children to understand, care about, and act on core ethical values such as respect, justice, and responsibility for self and others.

Teaching kindness to animals is a natural component of these efforts. Developing empathy towards animals can be a key step in developing empathy for and rejecting violence against all beings, including humans. With bullying and youth violence rampant in schools today, it is essential to teach compassion and encourage kindness in your students.

ANIMALS CURRENTLY AVAILABLE TO "ADOPT"

Honey

Honey

Honey is one of our cow residents rescued from the dairy industry. It is not widely
known that, like other mammals, cows must have a baby to produce milk, so mother cows on
dairy farms are typically kept constantly pregnant to produce a regular supply of milk
only to be separated from their babies after they’re born. Honey was fortunate enough to
be rescued while pregnant after spending 10 years on the farm, and she and her son
Benjamin arrived at Charlie’s Acres in 2018 where they’ll live the rest of their lives
side by side. Although Benjamin now towers over his mom, they still share an incredibly
close bond, and we can see how much it means to them to be able to stay together and to
be free to spend their days how they choose. Honey is a sweet, motherly figure to not
only Benjamin, but their entire herd.
Gretel

Gretel

Gretel is a potbelly pig, an animal that can make a great companion as long as
people do their research before adopting them! Sadly, many of these pigs are purchased
at a young age due to the popular “teacup” pig myth and then end up abandoned when they
reach their full size. In Gretel’s case, she was left on the streets while pregnant in
the summer of 2021. After days of building trust with her, we convinced her to follow a
trail of food into our trailer, which gave us the idea to name her Gretel! Two weeks
after her arrival, she gave birth to her piglets on August 16, and, despite all the
danger Gretel faced on the streets, they now have a safe, happy home to live the rest of
their lives together. Gretel is a strong, protective mother, but, like her babies, she
won’t say no to a good belly rub. Her story teaches us why it’s important to make sure
we can meet an animal’s needs before bringing them into our homes. During our meetings
with Gretel, you can expect to also meet her seven friendly piglets and their very
curious chicken friends!
Monroe

Monroe

Monroe was found abandoned at only a day old at a pond in a public park. Luckily, a
kind passerby noticed Monroe and brought her to Charlie’s Acres. In the beginning,
Monroe grew quickly and her white, waterproof adult feathers came in, but as the weeks
went by, we realized Monroe was a miniature breed of duck, and, unlike many of her
fellow domestic ducks, she was able to fly! We built a special aviary for her to let her
flap her wings as she pleases without having to worry about getting lost. She was joined
by Mathilda, an elderly domestic goose who took Monroe under her wing (literally!),
Ralph the sassy rooster, and several other duck friends who require a bit of extra care,
and they spend their days happily splashing away in their pools together. Monroe’s story
is all too common: many people believe that domestic ducks can live safely in the wild
and in public ponds and lakes, but in reality, it’s very difficult for them to survive.
We are so happy that Monroe found a safe home here at Charlie’s Acres and a group of
friends to play with every day. She’s a sweet, energetic duck who loves nibbling at us
affectionately for attention and soaring over our heads when we least expect it.
Frank

Frank

As a rooster, Frank is one of the most misunderstood beings in the world, and, just
like many others of his kind, we found him abandoned. Roosters face many challenges due
to the stigma of their signature crow, the stereotype that they are “aggressive,” and
simply because they are not seen as worth caring for since they don’t provide us with
eggs. In reality, roosters make wonderful and loving protectors to their families,
bravely showing that they are even willing to risk their lives to protect the ones they
love. Each rooster has his own personality, and we are happy to give each one the space
to be who he is, whether he’s snuggly, feisty, shy, outgoing, and so much more. It’s so
much fun watching Frank interact with his flock, always chatting with them, standing
guard, and calling them over when he finds a yummy treat to share. While chickens are
often thought of as “simple minded,” that couldn’t be further from the truth! Frank is a
great example of how we shouldn’t judge a book by its cover and that when we take the
time to understand chickens (and roosters in particular), they can really thrive, make
wonderful friends, and teach us so much.
Ginger

Ginger

Ginger was brought to Charlie’s Acres in the spring of 2019 by a teenage activist who negotiated with her former owner, a dairy farmer, to relinquish her. She arrived in extremely poor health due to severe neglect. Ginger was emaciated, full of parasites, and suffering from a life-threatening udder infection. We feared for Ginger’s survival during those first weeks and were thrilled as we saw her put on weight and gain strength. Now, she’s thriving in her forever home at Charlie’s Acres with her wonderful goat and chicken friends. Despite everything she’s been through, Ginger is incredibly sweet, forgiving, and trusting of humans. She loves receiving attention from humans, gluing herself to the side of visitors as they pet her and nuzzling them affectionately. Ginger’s story is a great example of why animals deserve a chance at life and to receive treatment when they’re sick, just as much as anyone else.

REGISTER YOUR CLASS


Charlie’s Acres’ Virtual Class Pet Program includes:

– An adoption certificate, photos, and information about your new class pet.

– Four 30 minute video calls with an animal caregiver and your class pet. These can be scheduled throughout the year, semester, or shorter unit, depending on your class’s needs. These calls will focus on humane education lessons that help students put themselves in an animal’s “shoes” and consider their feelings.

View our Virtual Class Pet Program curriculum.

This program is available for grades K-12 and is most appropriate for grades 2-8. For classes younger than Kindergarten age, please feel free to reach out to jenny@charliesacres.org for additional humane education options.

Due to staffing, a limited number of no-cost registrations for the 2023-2024 school year have been made available. We expect to open no-cost spots for additional classes to join in the Spring Semester. Please check back here or subscribe to our newsletter to be notified in when more spots open up!

Ask a parent or donor to sponsor your class by sending them this link!






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