Empathy is a subject. Nobody teaches it.
A child who understands dogs does not fear them, does not throw stones at them, and does not get bitten by them. We teach all three outcomes in forty-five minutes — free, in any school in Khammam district.
They are bitten the most, and they are listened to the least
The World Health Organization records that 40% of people bitten by suspect rabid animals are children under 15. Children are bitten more often for reasons that are entirely fixable: they run past dogs, they shriek, they reach for puppies while the mother is watching, they eat while walking, and they often hide the bite from adults because they expect to be scolded.
That last one kills. India's ICMR study found that more than one in five bite victims never received a single dose of anti-rabies vaccine, and nearly half of those who started did not finish the course. Rabies is entirely preventable before symptoms appear — and entirely fatal after.
The other reason we go into schools is simpler. Cruelty towards animals is learned early, casually, and by imitation. So is kindness. Ten-year-olds are the most persuadable people in any town, and they take the lesson home to their parents.
This is now official policy, too
In its order of 7 November 2025, the Supreme Court of India directed the Ministry of Education to instruct schools to conduct awareness sessions on preventive behaviour around animals, and required every school to appoint a nodal officer and secure its premises. Schools across Telangana are looking for someone who can actually deliver those sessions. We can, and we do it at no cost.
Forty-five minutes, three parts
Age-appropriate, in Telugu or English, with real photographs and real stories from streets the children recognise.
Part 1 · Read the dog
What a wagging tail actually means. What a stiff body, a low growl, raised hackles and a tucked tail mean. Why a mother with puppies is not being aggressive — she is being a mother. Children learn to read the animal before they touch it.
Part 2 · Stay safe
Be a tree, be a rock. Don't run. Don't stare into the eyes. Don't snatch food or puppies. Don't corner a dog. What to do if a dog chases a bicycle. And the rule that matters most: if you are bitten or scratched, tell an adult immediately — you will not be in trouble.
Part 3 · Be the reason
Why the dog outside the gate lives there. What sterilisation means and why the notched ear is a good sign. Article 51A(g) of our Constitution — the duty of every citizen "to have compassion for living creatures". Then we show them what a rescue looks like, and let them ask anything.
What every child leaves knowing
Wash the wound with soap and running water for 15 minutes. Go to a doctor the same day. Anti-rabies vaccine is free at government hospitals. Finish the whole course.
If a school session ever saves one life, it will be because of that paragraph.
What we never do
We do not show gratuitously distressing images to young children. We do not bring animals into classrooms. We do not tell children to approach street dogs, feed them alone, or intervene in a fight — the message is observe, respect, and tell an adult. Safety and compassion are taught as the same instinct, never in tension.
Turning one visit into a habit
Animal Friends Club
A small student group per school that keeps a water bowl filled at the gate through summer, reports injured animals to us, and runs a notice board. Teachers tell us it becomes the most oversubscribed club in the school.
Poster & story contests
Children draw and write about an animal on their own street. It is the cheapest awareness campaign in existence — parents come to see the display, and the message travels home.
Teacher briefing
A twenty-minute staff session on bite protocol, first aid, and how to handle a dog on campus safely and lawfully — including what the Supreme Court's institutional-premises directions actually require of the school.
Campus safety walk
We walk the school grounds with the nodal officer and identify the real issues: an open kitchen waste bin, a gap in the boundary wall, a litter under the stairs. Most campus dog problems are waste-management problems.
Free, for any school in Khammam district
Government or private, Telugu or English medium, one class or a full assembly. There is no charge and there never will be — we would rather do a hundred of these than one fundraiser.
Tell us the school, the age group, the number of children and a couple of dates that work. We will confirm within a few days.
- 45 minutes, or 20 for a short assembly slot
- Telugu or English
- Classes 3–10; content adjusted by age
- Projector helpful, not required
- Teacher briefing available the same visit
Request a school visit
Email or WhatsApp us these details and we will take it from there.
Or simply WhatsApp +91 73862 30139. That is usually faster.
₹2,000 puts the Compassion Classroom in front of 200 children
Printed materials, travel, and a set of posters left behind for the school notice board. It is the cheapest thing we do and, over twenty years, probably the most important.