Humane Education
Since 2014, the PSPCA has been helping Philadelphia's young people build compassion, empathy, and respect for all living beings, and discover what kindness can do for animals, for their communities, and for themselves.
Get Involved
Preventing cruelty starts with education.
For more than 150 years, the PSPCA has rescued animals from cruelty and neglect. We believe the best rescue is the one that never has to happen. Research consistently links cruelty to animals with violence toward people, which means teaching empathy early protects both.
That belief launched our Humane Education program. Today, it’s grown into much more than a classroom lesson. It’s a place where young people come to learn, create, lead, and see themselves in the work of caring for others.
From classroom visits to a community of young leaders.
Our program began by bringing lessons on responsible pet care and cruelty prevention into Philadelphia classrooms. Over the years, students kept asking for more, and we kept saying yes.
We opened our Erie Avenue shelter for behind-the-scenes tours and started an Art Club that turns the shelter into a creative community space. We also built a youth development pathway with internships, a partnership that welcomes youth referred through diversion programs, and, in 2026, MVP: Mapping Veterinary Pursuits, our new veterinary career exploration program.
Our Programs
Grades 3+
Shelter Tours
Go behind the scenes at our Erie Avenue headquarters for a hands-on, two-hour experience. Groups of 8–20 students meet animals in our care and take part in guided activities that build empathy and understanding. One chaperone is required per ten students.
Grades 3+
Classroom Programming
We bring the PSPCA to you. Interactive, age-appropriate presentations cover topics from responsible pet ownership to how animal law enforcement protects animals in Pennsylvania. Our team works directly with teachers to fit your curriculum.
Art Club
A safe, welcoming space for young people to create, explore, and discover what they love. Students work with their hands, build a hobby, and simply get to be themselves, surrounded by the animals and people of the PSPCA.
High School
Youth Development & Internships
Philadelphia high school students work alongside PSPCA staff in veterinary care, shelter operations, and community outreach, gaining real skills and a look at the many career paths in animal welfare. Our MVP program goes deeper for students drawn to veterinary medicine.
Every student who leaves our program takes something with them.
It might be a new understanding of what an animal needs, a creative outlet they didn’t have before, or a first step toward a career. For some of the young people we serve, it’s a second chance. Behind them are classrooms, families, and neighborhoods that become a little safer and a little kinder for people and animals alike.
For Educators and Families
All programs are free. Tell us about your group, and we'll build an experience that fits.
Request a ProgramFor Funders and Partners
Humane Education is made possible by donors and partners who believe prevention is the most powerful form of protection. Help us reach the next generation.
Support Humane Education