Treat the earth well. It was not given to you by your parents,
it was loaned to you by your children. Kenyan Proverb

Humane education is an approach to teaching which aims to foster a life-loving and life-affirming ethic that embodies a balanced sensitivity for all living things: animals, people and the environment. It means respecting the inherent rights of every human being for natural environments to exist and for recognizing the intrinsic value of animals.
     In its most general sense, humane education refers to all those activities designed to encourage people to "be kind." It is a process that highlights the need for compassion, consideration and respect for all life and all ecosystems by recognizing the inter-dependence of all living things. It is a process that strives to create and nurture a culture of empathy and caring by stimulating the moral development of individuals that enables them to make life-affirming choices.
     Teaching responsible pet ownership is part of humane education, but it is not the whole aim. If everyone looked after his or her pets properly, certainly animals would benefit. But if the motivation for looking after pets properly does not include a genuine appreciation and concern for all life, then humane attitudes have not been fully developed.
     The process of humane education begins with accurate information about animals and animal issues and goes on to incorporate empathy building and critical thinking skills. The life and welfare of each individual person is inextricably interwoven with the lives and welfare of other people, wildlife and domestic animals with which he or she shares the earth. As humans, we make decisions that affect the entire biosphere. Humane education instills the understanding of the dynamic relationship and interconnectedness between all living components of the world and promotes a sense of the individual’s role and responsibility within the "circle of life."

"People who are trained to extend justice, kindness, and mercy to animals become more just, kind, and considerate in their relations with each other. Character training along these lines will result in men and women of broader sympathies, more humane, law-abiding and in every respect more valuable citizens. Humane education is teaching in the schools and colleges of the nation the principles of justice, goodwill, and humanity toward all life. The cultivation of the spirit of kindness to animals is but the starting point towards that larger humanity which includes one's fellow of every race and clime. A generation of people trained in these principles will solve their difficulties as neighbors and not as enemies."