How much do your students know about buying a puppy?
Don't let your students join the ranks of those who fail to prepare themselves for the practical commitment and cost of owning a dog and let their heart rule their head when buying a puppy.
According to new RSPCA figures*, nearly one-fifth of people who bought a puppy in the past two years no longer have their dog.
Help your students understand what’s involved in buying a puppy with our
new animation, Get puppy smart, which will guide them through the processes and pitfalls.
Get puppy smart
Claire Calder, a senior scientific officer at the RSPCA, said:
Sadly far too many people are living with the consequences of buying a puppy on impulse. A cute puppy can be hard to resist, but the result of not looking beyond the cute-factor can be the tragic death of a much-loved pet, hundreds of pounds spent on vet bills or the emotional impact of having to part with a puppy that was simply the wrong choice for your family's lifestyle.
The RSPCA's Get puppy smart campaign aims to help prospective puppy buyers make the right decision by thinking about what type of dog best suits their lifestyle, the costs involved in having a dog, finding a good breeder and how to select a happy and healthy puppy.
Teaching about responsible pet ownership
To see the free resources we provide on responsible pet ownership, click on any of the links below to view our curriculum-linked lesson plans.
Pets need This lesson looks at the basic needs of animals (pets) and the basic needs of humans.
Taking time This lesson looks at the daily responsibility of pet care, the amount of time and the activities required to look after a pet properly.
Thinking numbers This lesson uses word problems and the four number operations to calculate the cost of keeping a pet.
How do we look after pets? This lesson focuses on which animals make good pets and how to care for them.
Getting to know pets This lesson involves using research and data handling skills to look at the issue of responsible pet ownership.
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* The research was conducted by TNS via OnlineBus, an internet survey. A sample of 7,272 GB adults aged 16-64 were interviewed. Of these, 848 people had acquired a puppy in the past two years. Interviewing was conducted by online self-completion from 23 November 2010 – 20 January 2011.
Evidence-based guidance on buying a puppy was produced for the RSPCA by the University of Bristol and was used to underpin the Get puppy smart campaign.
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