“Do you have any pets?” And: how often should you walk a dog in a day? Last week, eighth-grade students from De Kleine Wereld primary school posed these questions to Alderman Robert Barker (Animal Welfare) and to each other.
Barker gave a guest lecture on the eve of World Animal Day as part of a new animal welfare curriculum offered by the municipality to primary schools in The Hague. Awareness of the responsibility that comes with owning a pet is the central theme.
Involving children in animal welfare at a young age lays the foundation for a more caring and responsible generation. By consciously focusing on how animals live, feel, and what they need, the new curriculum helps children grow up with understanding, respect, and responsibility for animals. It’s no coincidence that this new curriculum is being launched around World Animal Day.
The municipality of The Hague has been committed to environmental education for years and offers schools a wide range of teaching materials, including a strong focus on animals and their habitats. However, something was still missing: a specific focus on animal welfare.
Councillor Robert Barker (Animal Welfare): “It’s important that children learn not only about nature and the environment, but also about caring for animals. What’s involved in getting a pet? A baby rabbit or a puppy might look cute, but every pet grows up and needs daily attention, care, and love. After all, animals aren’t toys, but living beings with needs and feelings.”
While animal welfare is not unique in the Netherlands, offering a separate curriculum on animal welfare for schools is still innovative. Seven schools in The Hague have already requested the curriculum. Schools can reserve this curriculum free of charge.
Photo & text: Municipality of The Hague
Translation: The Hague Online