Children are our future

We've all heard Whitney Houston singing "The Greatest Love of All," written by Michael Masser and Linda Creed, in which she reminds us that the "children are our future, teach them well and let them lead the way."

The song is a powerful one and was first sung by George Benson for the soundtrack for Muhammad Ali's movie "The Greatest," later made famous by Houston; made hilarious when sung by Eddie Murphy and his band, Sexual Chocolate in 1988's "Coming to America"; and made a little disturbing all across the country when sung by our friends and relatives in karaoke bars.

No matter who sings it, though, the message of children being our future is obvious but important to remember. That philosophy isn't lost on the Aiken SPCA, which is best known for rescuing and adopting homeless pets, its spay-and-neuter clinic and its busy thrift store in downtown Aiken; however, investing in the community's children is every bit as important to the group.

The SPCA works hard at the shelter to bring around shy or formerly abused dogs. The shelter can get rid them of fleas, have heartworms treated, put weight on a skinny dog and other things to make pets more adoptable and quicker to adjust into a new home. Low-cost spaying and neutering are provided to pet owners to help reduce the pet overpopulation problem in the area.

While these things are important and worthwhile, at the end of the day, the shelter still needs great people to adopt, volunteer, donate, take the initiative to have their pets spayed and treat animals in their homes with respect and love, which will be returned without conditions.

How does the SPCA try to make this happen? It looks to the children. They are more open to new ideas and taking in new information. Teaching kids about how to safely approach a dog they don't know and to make sure their family dog doesn't spend its life at the end of a chain are just a couple of examples of what is share with them.

The Humane Education program in local Aiken County elementary schools is one way the SPCA tries to teach children compassion, responsibility and safety around animals. Kids this age are like sponges, and their enthusiasm and energy are contagious. Shelter workers also speak to classrooms, assemblies, civic and church groups, summer programs and Boy and Girl Scout troupes.

Children come together to run pet food drives at their school, have birthday parties at the shelter, want to become veterinarians someday and learn that other people and other things besides themselves are important, too. Learning these life lessons at an early age will hopefully produce better pet-owning adults in the future. This means less unaltered animals running loose, less abuse and neglect cases to investigate, hopefully an end to dogfighting and people who understand that a pet is a lifetime commitment - not just until you move, get a new boyfriend or have a baby.

The Aiken SPCA needs your help with the Humane Education program. We are always in need of more volunteers for this program. Training is provided, and the difference you'll make will last a lifetime. For more information, call 648-6863 or visit www.aikenspca.org. And we won't ask you to sing any of Whitney's songs when you volunteer.