1. We promote the idea of the spiritual interconnectedness of all beings,
compassionate action amongst all beings, and the raising of consciousness toward
healing our planet.
2. We honor the inherent value and equality of all life, human and nonhuman.
3. We support the advancement of each being's honorable goals and purposes.
4. We honor and promote the innate capacity of nonhuman and human animals to
communicate with each other.
5. We commit to using communications for the greatest and highest good of all
when that good is for nurturing rather than exploitation.
6. We support the qualities of depth, perceptiveness, and spiritual essence
of nonhuman and human animals through communication with each other, and through
respect, reverence, and compassionate treatment.
7. We believe that animals must be allowed to exist and function within their
own natural lifestyle, wild or domestic, according to their own goals and
purposes without interference, except for interventions to rescue and
rehabilitate. The intent is to return them to their environment whenever
possible.
8. We believe that humans have a responsibility to protect animals from
human-imposed suffering, and to enhance their rights and well being through
compassionate action.
9. We believe in the rights of animals to complete their earthly journey in
respect, care, safety, balance, health, joy, peace, and love. We believe in
relieving them of suffering through humane euthanasia.
10. We believe in emotional sustenance through life-centered community with
others of like values and beliefs.
11. We value service grounded in a balance of self assurance and humble
respect.
12. We commit to maintaining understanding, respect, and compassion toward
all participants.
13. We believe learning takes place primarily through encouraging, promoting,
supporting, and reinforcing strengths, as well as respectfully and
compassionately correcting errors.
14. We commit to establishing an atmosphere of safety where mistakes may
occur to be used as learning tools.
15. We honor the integrity of our work by maintaining ethics and standards of
excellence to guide training, services, and life-centered community, and through
conscientious application of skills.
16. We provide to clients honest, accurate, timely, complete, and
compassionate consultations.
17. We believe in taking compassionate action toward nonhuman and human
animals as individuals and as groups within the limits and strengths of our own
capabilities, intervening and taking action to address problems when ever
possible.
19. We believe in leading our lives with compassionate intention directing
daily actions.
—Sections taken from the Assisi Institute
