Laurits Takes a Stand for Animals and Wins Compassionate Kid Award
PETA youth campaigner Laurits from Ringsted, Denmark, has just received PETA’s Compassionate Kid Award after educating others about how animals deserve to be treated.
Laurits’ stance on animal welfare has been developing since he was just 3 years old, when he became curious about how people can justify eating meat, even though it involves the death and cruel treatment of other animals. Since then, he has raised awareness of animals during school debates (with both students and teachers) on a wide range of animal rights issues, including bullfights, circuses, zoos, horse racing and the annual whale slaughter on the Faroe Islands.
Laurits impressed his teacher on one particular occasion with how calmly and elegantly he presented his arguments against the Faroe Island slaughter to the class. He was not just young but positively bursting with passion. His ability to tear down opposing arguments with total clarity has resonated with some of his fellow students, whom he even convinced not to attend circuses that use wild animals when they come to town.
We hear that Laurits also has the courage to say “no” when he doesn’t feel comfortable with the way animals are being treated. On a class field trip to the National Aquarium Denmark, he refused to take part in a scheduled event involving the dissection of an octopus. Whether or not his teacher was pleased, the octopus whose life was spared would definitely have given him a high eight for standing his ground.
We’re proud to acknowledge Laurits with the award and look forward to hearing about how he continues to help animals as he grows up.
If you know compassionate kids, give them the appreciation they deserve. Nominate them for PETA’s Compassionate Kid Award! It’s a way to reward children who show respect for animals and let them share their stories in order to inspire others.
