The Scottish SPCA is delighted to announce a new element to their already hugely successful free education programme. The new Animal Guardians programme aims to break the cycle of cruelty and harm towards animals and people through promoting positive human-animal interactions with children.
Scotland’s animal welfare charity has been generously supported by the RS Macdonald Charitable Trust who are funding the new development for an initial three years.
Scottish SPCA Head of Education and Policy Gilly Mendes Ferreira said, “Our new ‘Animal Guardians’ programme is designed to run alongside our existing ‘Prevention through Education’ programme.
“At present we reach around 300,000 children across Scotland. Research shows that our programme is effectively increasing knowledge, positive attitudes and children’s beliefs in animal minds and is decreasing their tolerance of animal cruelty.
“Animal Guardians is being offered as an additional resource to primary school aged children who have been flagged as having the potential to commit animal cruelty, or have already been involved in an animal cruelty incident. It will initially be piloted in the Edinburgh area with the view to extending the programme across Scotland.
“The links between animal cruelty and violent crimes is well documented and we are delighted that the RS Macdonald Charitable Trust have supported us in creating a programme which aims to tackle this issue.”
Gilly continued: “It’s important to us that this programme is based on research and support from other stakeholders involved in the welfare of children. The effectiveness of the programme will be evaluated by the University of Edinburgh’s Dr Jo Williams from the department of Clinical and Health Psychology. An Animal Guardians advisory group has also been set up involving representatives from Police Scotland, Scottish Fire and Rescue Service, Barnardo’s, Edinburgh Women’s Aid, Paws for Progress and Edinburgh City Council.”
The RS Macdonald Charitable Trust Director Douglas Hamilton said, “Education about animal welfare is essential in order to reduce cruelty towards animals. The Scottish SPCA has a strong track record in delivering a quality programme with a powerful impact. This new initiative will develop the programme further by assisting vulnerable children and young people at the same time as promoting animal welfare.”
To find out more about Scottish SPCA’s free education programmes please contact education@scottishspca.org
or visit https://www.scottishspca.org/education/
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