Foreword; Mary Rivkin -- Part One: Foundations of Humane Education -- Editor s Introduction -- 1. Humane Education and the Development of Empathy in Early Childhood: Definition, Rationale and Outcomes; Mary Renck Jalongo -- 2. Short-Term Interventions that Accomplish Humane Education Goals: An International Review of the Research; Virginio Aguirre and Agust n Orihuela -- 3. Using Interactions between Children and Companion Animals to Build Skill in Self-Regulation and Emotional Regulation; Wanda Boyer -- 4. Teaching Preservice Early Childhood Educators about Humane Education; Tunde Szecsi -- 5. Humane Education and Education for Sustainable Development: Educational Initiatives with Common Goals; Nicole B. Stants -- Part Two: Homes and Communities -- 6. Animals in the Family: Antecedents of Compassion and Violence; Marjorie L. Stanek -- 7. Including Animals in Play Therapy for Young Children and Families; Ris VanFleet -- 8. Foundational Humane Education: Love of Nature and Affinity for Animals; Nancy Bires -- 9. Collaborating to Create Community Disaster Plans That Save Human and Animal Lives; Holly Travis -- Part Three: Humane Education in the Early Childhood Curriculum and Beyond -- 01. The Role of Therapy Animals in Promoting Humane Education Concepts; Lori Friesen -- 11. Beyond Words Using Language and Literature to Teach Compassion for Others; Patricia A. Crawford -- 21. Initiatives of Intermountain Therapy Animals, Inc. that Promote Humane Education; Kathy Klotz -- 31. Guardians of the Earth: Teaching Children to Care for All Living Things; Audrey Rule and Ksenia S. Zhbanova -- 41. Humane Education in the Early Childhood Science Curriculum; Amanda K. Onion -- Epilogue: The Promise of Humane Education in the Early Years; Zoe Weil