In Memory of
Evris Tsakirides,
Co-Founder of VFTA
To donate to the EVRIS TSAKIRIDES MEMORIAL H.A.R.P. (Human-Animal Relationship Project) FUND to continue Evris' work of teaching compassion for all life:
Evris' enduring legacy is the Human-Animal Relationship Project, an elective course in humane education that he taught at Crossroads to an overflowing classroom of enthusiastic students every semester. He introduced students to topics such as animal rescue, animal research, zoos, wild animal rehabilitation, and being a caring consumer.
His students created a Facebook page in his honor. Below are a few of their comments:
"After being in Evris' class and a member of the HARP club 7 years ago, he instilled in me a never-ending love and compassion for animals. I have been volunteering since high school at the Santa Monica Animal Shelter when I go back home and now volunteer weekly at the Honolulu Zoo to care for the animals. In January, I even took in two homeless kittens right off of the street who are still happily living with me. Evris is the inspiration behind my future career in animal welfare and has forever impacted my life in the short time that I spent with him."
—Rachel
"Evris was my first Latin teacher in 7th grade. He was also one of the first animal rights activists I ever knew (and I thought he was crazy because of it at the time). Nine years later, I still study ancient languages, and I've been a vegan for almost four years now."
—Mallory
"If it had never been for Evris, I would have never become involved with animal rights. He was a huge impact on my life."
—Briana
WE WILL MISS YOU!
Please visit Evris' Memorial Website:
www.myeuripides.org
Please Take Care of Me
Voice For The Animals presents our new film: Please Take Care of Me. A puppet show for elementary school aged children, this fun and interactive experience teaches kids what it means to be a good pet owner. The cast includes three puppets: Heather, Sophie the dog, and Midnight the cat, and Robert, a human child.
The film offers kids, nationwide, a fun and upbeat way to talk about being a responsible pet owner – something that is not often taught in a normal school curriculum. With the over-abundance of animals in the shelters being put down daily, it is imperative that kids begin to learn, at an early age, how to be a responsible member of society by taking care of their own pets. A valuable lesson for all kids, Please Take Care of Me introduces kids to the world of animal rescue in the hopes that they will grow up with these lessons in mind.
Actor JR Nutt
Puppeteer Jim Peace
Bob's Buddies
Voice For The Animals presents our second humane education film: Bob's Buddies. This interactive discussion, geared toward middle and high school students, addresses topics such as what it means to be different, and what prejudice is and its effects, all while discussing the individual experiences of four very special dogs.
Trapper, a german shepherd, lost a leg in a animal trap used by hunters. Amy, a pitbull used and abused by dog fighters, tells her story with her scarred and deformed face. Charlie, an adorable King Charles Spaniel, was born blind as a result of irresponsible puppy mill breeding. Bingo, the final dog in Bob’s group, faced a different kind of prejudice.
Bob's Buddies is a fantastic way to introduce kids to an often difficult topic, in a safe and supportive environment. By using the stories of his four dogs, Bob creates an atmosphere where kids can express themselves without fear of judgment, and offers them a way to relate to experiences they may never have faced.
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The goal of our Humane Education Program and H.A.R.P. (Human-Animal Relationship Project) is to sensitize young people to animal issues, and to nurture their potential for compassion towards those sentient beings who are considered "subhuman." Although the educational system offers humane education at the elementary level, very little exists at the secondary level. Considering that adolescence is the time when young people stop seeing themselves as "children" and begin to see themselves as "adults," it is imperative that the animal-abusive parts of adult culture do not become for them synonymous with "growing up."
Our Humane Education is comprised of four parts:
Puppet Shows (preschool, elementary), which addresses topics such as rescue and adoption, spaying and neutering, and animals in entertainment.
Bob's Buddies (middle school), in which city attorney Robert Ferber, head of the Animal Protection Unit, teaches classes in compassion throughout the city's schools.
The Speakers' Series (middle and high school), in which experts make classroom presentations.
Classes and Clubs (middle and high school), which meet on a regular basis at Crossroads and New Roads schools.
Although this definition of "Humane Education" focuses on human-animal relationships, we do not underestimate the importance of improving on other relationships: on how humans treat other humans, how we treat the non-sentient environment, or how we treat ourselves. A "humane culture" would be a culture where all these relationships would be based on a non-violent intelligence. However, given that human-animal relationships are much more neglected in the secondary curriculum than programs on social justice, environmentalism, or even human development, we strive to fill that particular gap with empowering programs on human-animal topics. And although there exists sociological research showing that violence toward animals leads to violence toward humans, we do not hold that this is the only reason that violence to animals is undesirable; we believe that all violence to animals is undesirable in and of itself.
Here's what some students have said:
“I learned a lot about the testings that are done on animals and have passed this information on to others. Thank you so much for all you’ve done for us.”
—Carolyn
“I’m very glad you handed out the cruelty-free shopping guide. It’s nice to have a place to get the information because I feel terrible when I buy a product and am told it’s tested on animals. Thank you for coming.” ~
—Jenna
“I hope you will continue to educate people on animal rights. I know you will change peoples’ view on how animals are treated if you talk to them. I like how you actually take the time to help solve the problem. Thank you again for the change of thought you have brought to my mind.” ~
— Stacey
“Thanks much. I needed to know that. Now I look at animals in a whole new way.”
— Guiermo
“I really respect you for your accomplishments in showing others that animals are also creatures of God.” —Christine
“Humans shouldn’t do these kinds of cruel stuff to animals. Humans think they’re so superior above all other living things.” ~
— Sara
“Thank you for the informative presentation and the new experience. You make the class fun.”
— Sean
“You brought up some very interesting facts that really got me thinking. Those sad movies were very thought provoking. Keep it up.” ~
— Zahra
“I think that you affected us all in some ways that maybe you can’t imagine. Personally I think you’ve made me realize some real unpleasant thoughts but I think it was for the better for me to know what really happens.”
—Anna
“Animals are not different from humans. They have feelings. So if you kill an animal it’s like killing a human.” ~
— Neem
“It’s so cool that you love animals so much. I feel good that there are people like you out there.” ~
— An Young Chi 
Read More about
Humane Education
"Hands Off"
By Jennie Hahn
Read full article
"Digital Dissection"
By Josh Grossberg
Read full article
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VFTA invited Dr. Jennifer Conrad, a veterinarian who
works with big cats (and small), to speak to Crossroads School students about the
cruel and painful practice of declawing cats. Dr. Conrad gave an
informative presentation and explained that there are many other ways to
deal with scratching, a behavior that is very important to cats but
often lands them in trouble. Students learned that declawing is not the
best solution, because declawed cats often develop other undesireble
behaviors such as biting and not using the litter box. Research done in
one American city shows that 40% of the cats relinquished to shelters
had been declawed.
Classes and Clubs
Human-Animal Relationships
Project (H.A.R.P.) is a class in which students learn about historical
personalities who were kind to both people and animals in need.
 H.A.R.P. students raise funds for
needy animals by selling baked goods and frozen yogurt. The funds help
pay for the medical treatment and care of dogs and cats awaiting
permanent homes.
One of the ongoing projects
of the H.A.R.P. class is helping cats and dogs in city shelters. Having
found out that the animals lie on chilly, hard concrete during the cold
weather months, they collect sheets, pillows, rugs and blankets, and
donate these bedding materials to a local shelter. Rocky, a shelter
volunteer, wrote to the students: "Thank you again and again from all
the cats and dogs in the shelter!"
Students participated in a
city-wide effort in Los Angeles to urge the City Council to pass a pet
overpopulation ordinance, which significantly raised the license fee for
unaltered dogs, created a special fee for breeding, and limited breeding
to only one litter per year. The students discussed their concerns with
Councilman Mark Ridley-Thomas and the then General Manager of Los
Angeles Animal Services Dan Knapp. The ordinance was voted into law in
1999.
Students joined many rescue groups to
celebrate the opening of the City of L.A. new mobile spay/ neuter van.
The van will be traveling to outlying areas of Los Angeles to sterilize
the animals of low-income people.
Crossroads School kids learned about
our Working Cats Program, and helped us set up a feral cat
colony on campus.
Students in the
Animal Issues Workshop at New Roads School learned that
many pet stores buy animals from puppy mills. These are places
where large numbers of continuously-bred dogs and their
offspring are cruelly kept in inhumane conditions. These dogs
are rarely given medical attention, and a large percentage of
them die. After much discussion, the students carefully
organized a day of outreach and education. They chose a
beautiful sunny Saturday and stood outside of a pet store in
Santa Monica that sells puppies, politely educating passers-by
on the importance of rescuing a companion animal instead of
buying one.
Dissection in Education
In contrast to those who claim that dissection is necessary in education, but offer no supporting data, VFTA holds that dissection is an outdated, expensive and morally detrimental practice. Several studies exist which prove that students who use alternatives (such as websites, computer software and three-dimensional models) achieve the same learning goals, and sometimes score higher than those who learn through dissection. Moreover, dissection desensitizes students to cruelty, a fact which has been proven by criminologists. Allowing students to dissect gives them the message that it is acceptable to harm any being that can not protect itself. Many countries banned dissection in their educational system: Argentina, Israel, Switzerland, Norway, to name a few. VFTA spearheaded the alternatives to dissection at Crossroads Middle School and New Roads School in Santa Monica, California, both of which have instituted a non-dissection policy.
Speakers' Series
 Performing Animal Welfare Society directors Pat Derby and Ed Stewart were
invited to give a series of lectures on animals in
entertainment. Pat and Ed spoke at length about the various
species used in circuses, and what their natural habitats,
behaviors and relationships are like in the wild. They then
explained the way in which wild animals are trained to perform
the unnatural acts required for circuses. Local radio station
KFWB was on hand to cover the presentation.
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