1. Healing the Innocent: Helping Abused Children and Animals
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Healing the Innocent –
Helping Abused Children and Animals
By Kellsea Smith
There’s something special to me about animals and children, something that touches me deep inside and changes the way I look at life. I’ve always had that passion for kids and animals but I never knew that I could learn so much from both.
It all began for me in August of 2003 when my first foster sisters arrived. Natalie and Makensie were their names; I never knew that I would be so heart struck till then. Natalie was a shy type of girl and Makensie was a wild two year old -- of course this was somewhat normal, but they were also different from other kids.
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Once Tomorrow by Josh Woodward
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Healing the Innocent: Helping Abused Children and Animals
Kellsea Smith

2. Healing the Innocent: Helping Abused Children and Animals
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Natalie and Makensie were abused children. Natalie was told to never talk and Makensie had a third degree burn on her leg from a frying pan being placed to leg when she was younger.
I can only imagine what they were thinking when they met our open-armed farm family of five, complete with an 80-dog kennel. When the girls saw the dogs I watched their eyes light up like stars! They went from having nothing, to our family and all those dogs to call their own.
I suppose that’s also how Zoey, our boxer, felt. We found Zoey tied to a light pole with a log chain around her neck and a sign and, that read, “FREE”; she had been beaten, abused, and starved. I was so shocked when I first saw her and how thin and fearful she was. Over time, Zoey improved, but when Natalie and Mackenzie arrived you could see their special bond.
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Once Tomorrow by Josh Woodward
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Healing the Innocent: Helping Abused Children and Animals
Kellsea Smith

3. Healing the Innocent: Helping Abused Children and Animals
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Research shows that this is often the case. Most kids can relate to animals, so seeing and touching the pets brings them a sense of comfort. Children, especially those who are abused or neglected, are able to communicate with animals.
A pet offers a safe place for a child with emotional problems. They give unconditional love, providing a security blanket.
My small community is both lucky and unusual, because we have two active pet therapy organizations. The first, owned by Carol Parmenter at Butterfly Hills Farm, specializes in working with children and the elderly by bringing dogs and miniature horses into nursing homes and schools through a program called WAGS
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Once Tomorrow by Josh Woodward
Sweep, up
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Healing the Innocent: Helping Abused Children and Animals
Kellsea Smith

4. Healing the Innocent: Helping Abused Children and Animals
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Blind Horse In Stall
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Carol wants people to know that miniature horses are wonderful, responsible and calm, and that animals can help heal physical as well as emotional problems. Her clients have lower blood pressure, better social skills and are more open and calm. Working with animals relieves stress and teaches responsibility.
The Second Chance Barnyard, owned by Shawn Abel, is an abused animal shelter which specializes in adopting and finding homes for abused and neglected animals. Shawn also trains dogs to be “Battle Buddies” for returning soldiers and other victims of psychological trauma.
Over the past six years, I’ve had about 12 foster brothers and sisters. All have been abused. You probably already know that child abuse is a major problem in America, but did you know that there is often a connection in these cases to animal abuse?
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Once Tomorrow by Josh Woodward
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Healing the Innocent: Helping Abused Children and Animals
Kellsea Smith

5. Healing the Innocent: Helping Abused Children and Animals
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Boy in Wheelchair
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Nearly three million cases of child abuse are reported each year[; 71% of women and children entering a shelter report that the abuser had injured, killed or abused a family
Abused children are more likely to see their pet as their only friend in times of loneliness or stress] but they are also more likely to have had their pets die because abusers often kill, harm or threaten pets in order to force their children to remain quiet.
Investigating animal abuse is often how social services first become involved with a family in trouble.
Ways to help prevent both child and animal abuse are quite simple and similar. First, evaluate the situation to make sure abuse is really happening.
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Once Tomorrow by Josh Woodward
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Healing the Innocent: Helping Abused Children and Animals
Kellsea Smith

6. Healing the Innocent: Helping Abused Children and Animals
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Second, report it -- tell someone or call the animal or child abuse hotline numbers. Third, become informed about your state’s laws because the legal definitions of abuse can vary.
And most important, help prevent it by educating others about the problem, and by providing a break for parents or pet owner when possible.
Mohandas Gandhi said, “The greatness of a nation and its moral progress can be judged by the way its animals are treated”
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Once Tomorrow by Josh Woodward
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Healing the Innocent: Helping Abused Children and Animals
Kellsea Smith

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I would like to add that we should also be judged by the way we treat our children, and each other.
I hope this program inspires you to speak up for the ones that can’t, our pets and our children, and that you will find ways to let them touch your life as they have touched mine.
Bibliography:
Child Abuse/Domestic Violence Sites
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Once Tomorrow by Josh Woodward
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Healing the Innocent: Helping Abused Children and Animals
Kellsea Smith

8. Healing the Innocent: Helping Abused Children and Animals
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Pet Therapy Sites
Animal Abuse Sites
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Photos:
Taken by Shawn Abel,2nd Chance Barnyard, and Ben Vickers -- used with permission
Music:
JoshWoodward-Breadcrumbs-NoVox-09-OnceTomorrow
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Healing the Innocent: Helping Abused Children and Animals
Kellsea Smith

9. Healing the Innocent: Helping Abused Children and Animals
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"Healing the Innocent: Helping Abused Children and Animals" by Kellsea Smith is licensed under a Creative Commons Attribution-Noncommercial-No Derivative Works 3.0 United States License
Created with Microsoft Movie Maker by Kellsea Smith, January 2010
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STAR Events
Digital Stories for Action
Jan 2101
Healing the Innocent: Helping Abused Children and Animals
Kellsea Smith