Gentle Handling is the heart of Kindness International. It is a term coined by Jan Mitchell (the founder of KI) when first working in Ethiopia with the downtrodden horses. In its simplest form, it means treating the animals in the kindest manner possible. Each situation requires that we approach, touch and communicate with the animal in every way possible that helps it to relax them so that they can receive the treatments we are administering. The calmer the animal, the more efficiently they can receive the care being given.

When animals are handled in a gentle manner versus a controlling or cruel manner, they will respond with a desire to please as opposed to resist. The teaching of this concept is especially powerful in the places that KI travels where animals are regarded primarily as things and not creatures. When Jan first arrived in Ethiopia, the horses were plagued by open sores on their bodies. The addition of constant whipping had weakened them and caused them continual pain. It was evident in many of their eyes, that their spirit had been broken. As a result, they often fell or died in the streets. Horses that were considered "wild" were often constrained by ropes and their eyes covered by cloth in order to "control" them. When KI staff spoke softly to one such horse, stroked the horse's back very gently and approached the horse calmly, he eventually allowed us to put medication on his very painful wounds. Crowds of people watched in awe as the ropes and cloth were removed. They saw that simple gentleness had the calming effect needed to approach this horse. They began to see that “wild” meant “in need of a gentle touch”

In Ghana, nose rings were removed from the oxen. KI encouraged the men who tended to them to gently stroke their backs, and as a result the oxen came when called. With the introduction of these gentle handling along with ploughing animals, the fields now yield three times more food for the villagers. They recognize the importance of taking good care of their work force.

The art of gentle handling is not something that needs to be taught, it is something inherently known. We learn from childhood to treat others, as we ourselves would like to be treated, although many of us may grow up feeling incapable of doing that. In the animal world, we are dealing with an unconditional love that is being expressed by the animals and as humans if we remember to return that, the results are instant. In it’s purest form it is always without judgment and it is where two species can work together through understanding and compassion to create healing. Gentle Handling is the tactile expression of these qualities.

Whether we are working with chickens, dogs or oxen, it is Kindness International's intention to constantly seek the gentlest, kindest ways of treating the animals.

BENEFITS
Our experience has continually shown that those who need their animals to survive will benefit the most from a healthy animal. When the concept is thoroughly embraced, it also tends to encourage people to treat each other better as well. Kindness is contagious.