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Educating children about proper humane treatment of companion animals and fellow human beings is being supported with a partnership announced today between the Humane Society of the United States' National Association for Humane and Environmental Education (NAHEE) and the PETCO Foundation.

The Foundation is sponsoring NAHEE's "Adopt-A-Teacher" program in 500 elementary schools across the nation. The program provides KIND News newspapers on a monthly basis during the school year for each student in adopted classrooms as well as KIND Teacher magazine for each participating teacher. KIND Teacher contains worksheets, a student-designed classroom poster and KIND ID cards for the students.

KIND News features stories about responsible pet care, environmental concerns and issues, as well as information on all types of animals. It contains many learning tools to reinforce the concept of compassion and concern for all living things.

"We're proud to be able to support NAHEE's Adopt-A-Teacher program," said Paul Jolly, the PETCO Foundation's Director. "Time and time again, studies show that there is a strong relationship between a child's awareness for the proper way to treat animals and that child's ability, as an adult, to relate humanely not only to animals, but to society as a whole. It is one of the missions of the PETCO Foundation to develop or support humane education programs like KIND News in the communities we serve."

Dorothy Weller, NAHEE's Education Co-Director, said, "KIND News makes a difference in children's lives by sharing life stories about how treating animals kindly adds joy to their lives and to the lives of companion animals. Reading those stories, coupled with lessons provided in the teacher's guide, helps direct students to a path of developing loving, caring relationships. We're pleased that the PETCO Foundation is helping us spread this message."

KIND News is the latest example of PETCO's involvement in humane education in elementary school classrooms. PETCO Animal Supplies, Inc. announced today its sponsorship of Aquademics™, a highly successful program that places aquariums in 4th and 5th grade classrooms. This program, developed by Tetra, the world's leader in fish nutrition, will be provided to 1,000 classrooms during the 2000/2001 school year.

The PETCO Foundation was established in February 1999 to develop and manage fundraising campaigns in PETCO stores and support a variety of animal welfare programs. Since its inception, the Foundation has raised more than $2 million for more than 300 pet-related organizations across the nation. Proceeds from the campaigns go to local groups in communities in which the money was raised.

SOURCE: PETCO Foundation