PETA ambassador Raveena Tandon suggests how schools can teach kids to be kind to animals

Raveena Tandon with her pet dog Alaska

You're never too young to learn about kindness, points out Raveena Tandon. The actor, who has been an ambassador for People for the Ethical Treatment of Animals (PETA) for over a decade, has now thrown her might behind Compassionate Citizen. The humane education programme, created by PETA, aims at fostering kindness towards animals among young students.

Tandon believes that schools and teachers must adopt the Compassionate Citizen programme, thus helping students understand and empathise with animals. "I've always loved animals and realised that speaking up for them is one of the most important things to do. All sentient beings deserve to live free from human-caused suffering, and the only qualification needed to help animals is care," she states.

Tandon believes that teaching kindness to kids from a young age will go a long way in making a society that is more compassionate to animals. She asserts this is necessary as studies suggest a link between cruelty to animals and violence to humans. She adds, "A study published in Forensic Research & Criminology International Journal states that those who engage in cruelty to animals are three times more likely to commit other crimes, including murder, rape, robbery, assault, harassment, and substance abuse. That means a kinder society for animals is a better society for all."