Designing Community Education Programs to Promote Animal Welfare : The RSPCA's Experiences

Anne Hindle

Abstract

In the past responsible pet ownership education has been performed by many groups interested in animal welfare. This was done in response to ad hoc requests from concerned teachers and interested group leaders. These schools and groups were often (generally) in the higher socioeconomic areas with low evidences of animal welfare and animal control problems. Such initiatives were "preaching to the converted" and consequently made little impact on the growing number of animal welfare and animal control problems. A review of data concerning cruelty complaints directed to the RSPCA Inspectorate and animal control complaints reported to several local authorities revealed close correlation. Hence those regions in most need of urban animal management education were easily identified and targeted. A strategic plan emphasising the need for a co-operative approach by those professionals and organisations involved in urban animal management was formulated. It aimed to educate the whole community about responsible pet ownership in a program tailored to address the particular needs and problems of that community. This paper draws from the experience of the RSPCA in community education over 10 years and gives practical guidelines for those wishing to achieve an improvement in animal control or animal welfare through education.

About the author

Anne Hindle Dip Primary Teaching
Queensland Education Officer
RSPCA
PO Box 6177
FAIRFIELD GARDENS
AUSTRALIA 4103
Phone (07)848 0522
Fax (07)848 1178

At present I am employed as Queensland Education Officer for the RSPCA. Initially I graduated as a primary school teacher in Queensland although a combination of circumstances led to the unususal professional experience of may having taught all classes from Preschool to Year 12 in a variety of rural and urban schools.

Of particular relevance to my current position were appointments to various primary and secondary schools in low socioeconomic areas (often with a large ethnic population) and two one-teacher schools in the Northern Territory.

Teaching in these situations made me acutely aware of the widespread problems of illiteracy (inability to read and write effectively) and aliteracy (those who can read and write but choose not to because they lack time, energy or inclination) existing in these communities and the lack of appropriate resources to address these problems.

Several years later I enrolled in the Veterinary Nursing Course at Ithaca TAFE Queensland where I learned of the important on-going role of the veterinarian and veterinary nurse in responsible pet ownership, the needs, habits and origins of particular pets and the importance of regular preventative health care programs and of zoonoses.

Last year at the Animal Welfare Conference in Brisbane I heard an interesting paper delivered by Alderman Bob Moore and Mrs Jenny Brennan of Mount Isa City Council. A subsequent invitation to visit that city enabled me to see first-hand the visible improvement in all aspects of animal welfare (relating to dogs) with the implementation of simple, enforceable council by-laws.

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