Future-proofing petcare: a new initiative shows kids the basics

DSPCA is running free educational programmes for young children, the pet owners of tomorrow 

Elsie O'Byrne-White, vetinerary surgeon at DSPCA. Picture: Conor McCabe

The DSPCA has unveiled a new extended series of free virtual and on-site initiatives for children and adults. The aim is to educate to end animal cruelty and to promote responsible pet care.

“Education is a valuable tool for preventing cruelty,” says Gillian Bird, DSPCA’s head of education and media.

Ireland’s oldest and largest animal welfare organisation, the DSPCA is now hosting in-person visits on-site for the first time in nearly two years.

But the pandemic brought a silver lining. Before Covid-19, DSPCA had never considered virtual education – for the past 22 months they’ve been hosting educational sessions/talks online.

“It meant we were able to give more customised workshops across the entire country. In 2021 we gave over 500 online talks to schools,” says Bird.

DSPCA talks/workshops include: ‘All about Cats’, ‘All about Guinea Pigs’, ‘All about Dogs’, ‘All about Foxes’, ‘Dogs and Collars’, ‘Giant Pets’, ‘Horse Presentations’, ‘Careers with Animals', and ‘Caring for older Pets’. 

“Our vision is that every pet will one day enjoy a healthy life in a happy home. One way to achieve this is by educating the pet owners of the future. Our educational talks are aimed at children and students of all ages, including adult interest groups. We’re happy to create an age-appropriate session tailored to specific needs,” says Bird.

With younger children, DSPCA focuses heavily on empathy. “We’ve got a workshop called ‘How do you feel?’ We ask ‘do you sometimes feel hot/cold/hungry/thirsty/scared/sore?’ We work through these. Then we ask if they think a spider could feel scared, a dog feel hungry, a bird feel thirsty.”

Such training, says Bird, has a knock-on effect in teaching children to be responsible, caring adults of tomorrow.

Bird says children often don’t know how long a pet is going to live – which is very relevant when choosing a pet. “Many people don’t think about how the animal’s needs change as it gets older, in terms of type and amount of food, amount of exercise and extra vet care.”

She says children can also be unaware of how highly influenced they are by adults around them. “Just because your family doesn’t like cats doesn’t mean you have to be the same. Our aim is to be subtle, gentle, not preachy.”

Book a virtual talk with DSPCA/find out more about any of the education services: email [e-mail]; also visit www.dspca.ie

Before getting a pet:

• Research type of animal you’re thinking of to see if it’ll suit you/your family.
• Consider time you have to spend looking after pet. If you’re gone from home 8am-6pm, a dog isn’t a good idea.
• Where’s the pet going to live/sleep? Is it right for a rabbit to live in a hutch outside, or a dog be in a shed all day?
• Consider cost – of food, vet care, boarding fees.
• Before deciding, do trial run with a friend’s/family member’s pet or foster an animal.