Humane Education and Holidays: Celebrations for All

By: Heather Franco, CHES, East Bay SPCA

In Humane Education, we work with people from all walks of life. It’s important to be mindful when designing our programs to ensure we are creating a safe space in order for participants to learn and take in the important messaging of our programs. Many of the holidays observed in the US come from specific religions and cultures, which is great! Learning about and sharing customs and culture is an important part of breaking down walls between communities and building understanding between neighbors. However, as humane educators, we don’t always come into our roles with the training and tools to effectively have these conversations without causing unintentional harm. 

So where does that leave us? Should we avoid any kinds of celebrations altogether? There are many options to consider! Read on for a collection of ideas and resources to navigate holidays in ways that are inclusive to all.

One way is to shift the focus from specific holidays to the season as a whole. 

Fall gives us harvest, changing colors around us, and is a season focused on gratitude. Collect a tree branch (or create your own out of paper or other upcycled materials) and have participants end each session with something (or someone) they are grateful for! Check out this fun example from Amy Ruttan Art Therapy:

Here are some examples of some cute Fall-themed adoption ads from East Bay SPCA’s Humane Education programs:

Winter is a time of year associated with cozy motifs like scarves and mittens. Do you work somewhere that has adoptable or ambassador animals? Have your participants fit them into winter outfits and hang the artwork for everyone to see!

Here are some examples my various programs over the years: 

Winter is also the time of year many animals hibernate! Incorporate a relevant book and find or create activities based on the story. Here is a great example from Teaching with Jodi Durgin & Co that offers various activities relating to the book Hibernation Station.  

Spring can be represented by thoughts of renewal with lots of flower and pastel themes. Check out this egg-hatching activity from San Francisco SPCA.

Summer is about everything fun! Using broad motifs, you can create art projects and lessons that feel timely while inclusive.

Here is an example of one made during an East Bay SPCA Summer Animal Camp Program:

There are some commonly celebrated holidays that are secular and cultural instead of religious. For New Year’s, we commonly set resolutions for the year ahead. This is actually a great lesson in goal setting and problem solving! Check out these fun lessons from Amy Lemons, centered around the book Squirrel’s New Year’s Resolutions. Take this further and have participants create resolutions for your adoptable or resident animals and hang them for the public to see.

Valentine’s Day is a great time to focus on empathy and compassion. If you work at a shelter, have participants create cards to send home with adopters or to send to donors. 

Here are a few examples of thank you cards that were sent to East Bay SPCA donors and an adoption ad:

Lastly, there are many, many animal-related and silly holidays celebrated around the world. You can find them on sites like HolidaySmart and National Today. Additionally, ASPCA has a shelter-focused calendar that can be found here.

February 2nd is “Feed the Birds Day” - activity ideas include identifying your local bird species, creating bird feeders with appropriate food, creating PSAs for the public about what is healthy to feed to ducks (example, with book tie in).

March 3rd is national “If Pets Had Thumbs Day” - create silly adoption ads answering from the animal’s point of view (“If I had thumbs, I would get my own snacks from the fridge.”), facilitate a lesson plan on opposable thumbs, and create challenges for participants to try (example).

September is national “Preparedness Month” - have participants create an awareness campaign around pet disaster preparedness and what should be in a pet “go bag.” 

There are many ways to get creative and celebrate while keeping programming inclusive and appropriate for a diverse audience. Get creative and have fun!