Resplandor International is a community center in the village of Cajones that promotes education, art and music, health and wellness, and respect for the environment through its outreach program for local communities. The ground floor of the center’s building is ideal for sterilization campaigns, and Resplandor has generously allowed us to use their space for numerous sterilization campaigns since its establishment 10 years ago. The center serves some 10 rural communities in the area, and we plan to hold a campaign there every two months.
Our two organizations are also broadening our cooperation. Todd Fletcher, professor emeritus of education at the University of Arizona and Resplandor’s director, has invited us to participate in their educational program for children once a month by teaching their youngsters about pets’ needs and the importance of respecting all animals. This presents an opportunity for us to expand our Teaching Children Compassion for Animals initiative beyond our sterilization campaigns.
On March 30, three of our volunteers—Julia Salido, Tony López, and Dulce Sandoval—spent an hour at Resplandor with 20 children and some of their parents. Julia gave a brief introduction, pointing out that pets and people have similar needs, and enumerating the care that pets require. Then Tony described some of the things that children can do to improve their pets’ lives.
Next, Tony directed a warm-up exercise with the children to break the ice and encourage them to socialize. Afterward she gave the children paper and crayons so that each could draw a picture of their own pet and write inside a cartoon-style “balloon” emanating from the pet’s head something that their pet would say if it could speak. Then they shared their pets’ “statements.”
Dr. Fletcher reported that the children were engaged and that our volunteers’ messages were very clear. “We look forward to the next class,” he wrote. He hopes we will bring some pets or other animals to future lessons.