Public school students will get an education in animal rights if the City Council succeeds in pressuring the Department of Education to comply with decades-old state laws.

Under section 809 of New York’s Education Law, passed in 1947, state schools are required to educate children in “the humane treatment and protection of animals and of the importance of the part they play in the economy of nature.”

Council Member Tony Avella says the requirement has largely been ignored or forgotten.

“It’s hardly followed — there’s just a couple of schools in the city doing it, and on a voluntary basis it seems,” Mr. Avella said yesterday. “But state law requires it.”

The council will debate a resolution by Mr. Avella today calling on the Department of Education to inform all New York City public schools of the humane education requirements and require principals to make sure their teachers comply with section 809.

The resolution has been endorsed by two animal protection groups: Humane Education Advocates Reaching Teachers and the League of Humane Voters of New York City.

“The way we treat animals, our fellow neighbors, this is all part of being a member of today’s modern society,” Mr. Avella added. “It’s a benefit to the community and to the city to understand each other’s needs and, in this case, those of animals.”

The council member made headlines last month by publicly supporting another animal-related cause — banning the city’s horse-drawn carriages.

When asked about his recent focus on nonhuman issues, Mr. Avella said his agenda reflected constituents’ strong interest in the city’s animals.

“There’s a lot of people in the city who consider them to be very important,” Mr. Avella said. “If the issue’s important to them and I think it’s the right thing to do, I’m going to help.”