The Yellow Ribbon Project
According to the American Humane Society, an estimated 4.7 million dog bites occur each year in the United States. And children are considerably more vulnerable than adults. In fact, nearly half of all dog bite victims involve children and 70% of dog bite fatalities are children under 10 years old. However, this could be avoided if children were taught to understand animal body language and the concept of the Yellow Ribbon Project.
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The Yellow Ribbon Project seeks to educate people to teach others, particularly children, that some animals need space. Just like educators support children with many different special needs who may also need space, this campaign helps to teach that dogs just like children come in many different packages with specific needs that need to be respected and understood. This project supports more positive outcomes and interactions with dogs by helping both adults and children understand that animals come with different personalities, experiences, and may need extra care when being approached. The yellow ribbon signifies that the dog may be easily scared, elderly and wants to just enjoy its walk without being bothered, have health challenges, or be a rescue dog that is being rehabilitated. In this project, the yellow ribbon is tied on the dog’s leash to help others visually see that this dog needs more care and space. Just like a child who needs extra space or care, this does not necessarily mean the dog is mean or aggressive.
As human beings, we are the voices for those who cannot be heard, and this is evident in education as parents and educators work together to support positive outcomes for children with special needs. In this effort,people work together to break through stigmas and support children through accommodations in their home and school environments, behavior plans, changes in their school day, and in various other support systems to promote positive outcomes for children who need a different look to their educational experiences. In this same way, we are the voice for animals who cannot be heard. It is our social and moral responsibility to support animals by helping educate people about the special needs some animals have and how they should be approached. It is in this way we can support more positive interactions for animals and develop win-win solutions. Just as one would not approach a human assault survivor from behind, this holds true for animals who are being rehabilitated from unthinkable abuse. We must understand animal behavior and show compassion much as we would work to understand the behavior of a child so we can create positive outcomes. The Yellow Ribbon Project helps us to remember that animals have feelings and can be scared, terrified, feel uncertain, stressed, and uncomfortable in different settings just as human beings can. This project helps to support pet owners in being able to walk their dogs through a lens free of stigma and one that encourages more understanding of animal behavior. |