National Pet Day was founded to celebrate the joy pets bring to our lives and to raise awareness about the many pets needing a home.
If you are an animal lover like I am you are going to be THRILLED to learn about TAILS THAT TEACH! You can get a free teacher kit with books, a stuffed animal, and learning activities. I'm so excited to share this special program with you!!!
Non-profit organization Tails That Teach educates young children about kindness, compassion, and empathy by bridging the connection between people and animals through its captivating books, Love Me Gently and Gray Whiskers written by founder, Lisa Wiehebrink. These books parallel the needs of pets and people and offer age-appropriate lessons for proper care and safety. They are ideal for grades K-2 and provided at no cost to elementary schools to supplement character education and promote literacy.
The organization’s goal is empower the next generation to make good choices and to respectfully care for pets and people. Teaching kids to properly care for pets helps them grow up to be compassionate adults and responsible pet owners. By fostering the human-animal bond, children learn caring connections toward all living beings simply by observing how their actions directly impact others. Studies prove that children who are taught to be kind to animals often limits bullying and other abuse. Children are inspired as they observe how small acts of kindness toward peers and pets can make the world a better place for all.
Children have a special relationship with pets. Younger children are just beginning to learn about themselves and their world and they are fascinated by the response they receive from animals. Caring for a pet gives children a sense of empowerment when they are caring for another living being. This sense of empowerment turns into compassion and children are able to manifest that compassion toward other human beings. Children who live with pets in their home seem to make that transition more easily than those children who have no interaction with animals. 
Children also develop social skills from talking to and playing with pets. They learn what unconditional love feels like and they have a companion that they can talk to and tell secrets to. They are able to learn basic effective social interaction skills and what is acceptable and unacceptable behavior. Pets respond to emotional cues and can teach children to respond appropriately and show compassion for those who need it.
In addition to free book donations, Tails That Teach also provides the Adventures with Cooper Kit to teachers. This kit is provided to teachers for a unique expansion activity to teach kindness and inspire students to act with compassion and empathy toward pets and peers. Included in the reusable canvas tote bag is a set of our books, a stuffed plush dog, and journal. Students take turns bringing the kit home so they may read, write, and even draw about their adventures while learning responsibility and kind care. Classroom teachers across the country have reported improved critical thinking, decreases in bullying behaviors and overall increases in morale at schools where these and other programs are being used. Early education and literacy are key!
For more information about Tails That Teach, please visit www.tailsthatteach.org. 
