April 16, 2008

This month The National Humane Education Society (NHES) was proud to present a vital and informative one-day conference on issues that affect nearly everyone.

"Violence Prevention & Intervention: How to Help Animals and Children" was sponsored by NHES in College Station, Texas on April 12, 2008, and featured keynote speaker Dr. Frank Ascione, Professor of psychology at Utah State University, and internationally renowned author and researcher on animal cruelty and human violence.  Guest speaker Dr. Nancy Bell, psychologist and expert on The AniCare Model also joined us for this important day.

College Station is home to Texas A & M University—"Aggieland"—and true to form, our Texas friends welcomed us with a hearty, "Howdy!"  NHES's educational event was meant to inspire and invigorate communities in their work with both children and animals, and from the conference feedback, the mission was positively accomplished!

NHES cares deeply about children and animals, and our one-day conference facilitated the opportunity to spread awareness and share ideas on behalf of these two precious, yet powerless groups.  Dr. Frank Ascione presented vital and ground-breaking research on issues related to animal cruelty and human abuses, while Dr. Nancy Bell shared her expert knowledge on the AniCare Model, an extremely valuable resource available for working with children who have abused or who have witnessed animal abuse.

Nearly 60 attendees at the seminar included social workers, teachers, nurses, animal control and animal welfare groups.  Communication among these folks may be a small step, but NHES believes it is vital if we wish to create a more humane world.  All participants felt their day had been well spent and many spoke of, "having had their batteries recharged" to go out and better assist their own communities. 

Finally, conference patrons enjoyed free literature, vegan treats, and the company of two therapy animals while browsing display tables presented by NHES, Farm Sanctuary, and Aggieland Pets With a Purpose.  Our efforts to reach out to the Texas community moved beyond the conference "walls" when participants of several other hotel events spent time browsing the information tables as well!

NHES would like to thank Dr. Frank Ascione and Dr. Nancy Bell, as well as all the attendees and tabling organizations for a great “Violence Prevention & Intervention” conference.  Also, our thanks to Primal Spirit foods for providing free vegan "jerky" for the event!