I recently became reacquainted with an important program in Los Angeles. Although, this program could be useful in every community in the United States, it appears to me to be one of the best kept secrets in the battle to mitigate animal cruelty and abuse in our communities.
I’m talking about the Benchmark Animal Rehabilitative Curriculum (B.A.R.C.). B.A.R.C. is a unique online animal abuse prevention course designed to educate and rehabilitate individuals who have demonstrated a propensity to mistreat animals.
The B.A.R.C. course is appropriate for adults and juveniles (aged 15-17). The course is only open to individuals referred by a member of the criminal justice system (judge, prosecutor, defense attorney, or probation officer); an animal control professional; a social services agency; an educational institution (teachers and school counselors); or a mental health professional.
B.A.R.C. uses eProktor, an advanced facial recognition technology, to authenticate and ensure that the individual referred to the course is indeed taking it.
When it comes to animal cruelty and abuse, it is important for law enforcement to be proactive, rather than just reactive. In most communities, law enforcement lacks a tool able to help mitigate the prospect that an animal abuser will transgress again. B.A.R.C. is that tool!
B.A.R.C. is designed to help preclude the customary escalation of animal abuse by intervening with strategies and education designed to change minds and behaviors.
Having been involved in animal welfare and animal cruelty enforcement for some 30 years, I believe the B.A.R.C. course can enhance the way our criminal justice system and animal control professionals address the mindset and beliefs that cause some people to abuse animals and participate in cruel activities, like dogfighting, cockfighting and worse.
The B.A.R.C. course is a valuable tool for any professional seeking to prevent animal abuse. The program addresses the reasons why some people mistreat animals in a way designed to change, mitigate or eliminate future cruel behavior. The B.A.R.C. course directly addresses the reasons with a solution. The B.A.R.C. course may be the essential component missing in your community’s rehabilitative plan for offenders seeming to lack empathy for animals, or possessing a propensity to harm them.
Having served as the Chief Animal Control Enforcement Agent in communities from New York City to Los Angeles, I reviewed and sent to prosecution hundreds of animal cruelty cases. I am convinced that the majority of those defendants would have benefited mightily from B.A.R.C.
Humane education properly dispensed can be more effective, with longer-lasting results, than incarceration, fines, or community service.
Visit http://barceducation.org/ and share this information with local judges, prosecutors, defense attorneys, probation officers, animal control professionals, social services agencies, teachers, school counselors, and mental health professionals. It is time we let this cat out of the bag!
For more information on life-saving programs visit: edboks.com