For more than 40 years, Pam McKie worked in human services, helping vulnerable children, families, and communities access the support they needed to thrive. Today, she brings that same passion and expertise to animal welfare as Executive Director of Pets in Need of Cincinnati, a nonprofit veterinary clinic dedicated to serving low-income and vulnerable pet owners.

For decades, animal advocates, social workers, law enforcement professionals, veterinarians, and domestic violence experts have recognized an important pattern: violence toward animals often does not occur in isolation.

Community cats are a part of many neighborhoods, and while some people enjoy seeing them stroll through the yard, others may be less enthusiastic. One of the most common complaints about free-roaming cats is their tendency to dig in gardens, lounge in flower beds, or use outdoor spaces as litter boxes.

In a significant step forward for both animal protection and community well-being, Paraguay has officially mandated the inclusion of animal welfare education in primary and secondary school curriculums.

Through the passage of Law 7513/25, the Paraguayan government is embedding compassion, responsibility, and humane values directly into the education system, reaching students at a formative stage of life.

At Ohio Animal Advocates, our board members bring a powerful mix of lived experience, professional expertise, and passion for animals. We sat down with Chris Riggi to talk about his journey, from grassroots rescue work to legislative advocacy, and how he’s working to create lasting change for animals across Ohio.

A group of cats living outside the Landrum Academic Center at Northern Kentucky University has recently become the center of an unexpected campus debate—one that highlights broader questions about how communities manage free-roaming cats.

For several years, students at NKU have been caring for a small group of cats that appeared near the building. What began with simple acts of kindness—leaving out food and water for an orange tabby named Morris—gradually evolved into a more organized effort to support the animals.

At Ohio Animal Advocates, we often talk about laws, policies, and programs that protect animals. But one of the most powerful tools for improving animal welfare starts much earlier: education.

Helping children develop empathy toward animals can shape the way they interact with the world for the rest of their lives. That’s where Kind News™, a humane education magazine published by RedRover, comes in.

At Ohio Animal Advocates, our board members bring diverse experiences, deep compassion, and a shared commitment to building a more humane Ohio. Today, we’re excited to spotlight Katie Krafka, Secretary of the OAA Board and a member of our Community Engagement Committee.

We’re excited to share a major update in the world of humane education: the RedRover Readers On-Demand Online Course — previously $35 — is now completely FREE for everyone.

This self-paced, online workshop is designed to help educators, advocates, and caregivers foster empathy, compassion, and social-emotional learning in children through meaningful, animal-themed stories and discussion.

This month, as our Humane Education Resource of the Month, we are thrilled to share author, Ingrid Newkirk’s (president and founder of PETA), Unlocking the Animal World: Incredible Facts and How Kids Can Be Superheroes for Animals.* It is a marvelous resource for educators and parents of young children. It is the perfect resource for teaching young people that all animals are unique, important individuals. It is an engaging and educational book designed to inspire young readers to both appreciate the incredible diversity of the animal kingdom and become active protectors of animals and their habitats. Unlocking the Animal World offers not only fascinating facts about animals, but offers practical conservation tips, and easy-to-understand ways for children to make a real difference in the world. 

This month, as our Humane Education Resource of the Month, we are excited to highlight an exceptional resource that aligns perfectly with our mission of fostering compassion and understanding towards animals: Coyote’s Wild Home, by Barbara Kingsolver (2023 Pulitzer Prize Winner in fiction; 2000 National Humanities Medal winner) and Barbara’s daughter, Lily Kingsolver (American ecologist and author), with illustrations by Paul Mirocha. Published in 2023 to extremely positive reviews, this 32-page picture book offers two intertwined stories that describe the adventures of a young coyote pup and a girl named Diana, both embarking on their first journeys into the Appalachian wilderness. 

Calling all humane educators who work with animals! Please join the Institute for Humane Education for a 3-part community-driven online series that will explore effective strategies for teaching about animal protection, and how to bring awareness to the interconnections between humans, animals, and the environment in your programs.