Ever wondered how our resources tie in with RSPCA campaigns?

Many of the issues facing animal welfare stem from ignorance or poor education. This is no exception in the RSPCA Staffy rehoming campaign, which aims to address the 80 per cent and rising percentage of Staffy or Staffy-cross breed dogs that fill many RSPCA centres.

Frequently, these dogs come to the RSPCA as a result of deliberate cruelty, misconceptions about the demands of responsible animal ownership and a general misunderstanding of the breed. A video on the campaign website aims to illustrate how times have changed for Staffies since the 1920s (see Staffies-star of the show). 

How does RSPCA Education help address these problems?

We have a variety of activities, both for teachers and youth justice professionals, covering these issues, as well as three dynamic interactive resources. 

Teaching resources

• Dogs and the law (KS3) In this activity, students consider different laws relating to dogs and other pets.
• A nation of animal lovers (KS2) This lesson introduces the concept of cruelty to animals, with a focus on pets, and whether it is deliberate or based on neglect.
• Finding new homes for animals (KS2) This lesson looks at the responsibilities humans have towards animals by focusing on one important part of the RSPCA's work - rehoming.
• Finding pets good homes (KS2) This lesson introduces pupils to the concept of rehoming neglected or abandoned pets through a combination of speaking, listening, writing and role-play exercises.
• Our pet needs (KS1) This lesson can be used to introduce pupils to the concept of human and animal (pet) needs.

Youth justice resources

• Smiley face In this activity, the young person will discover that animals and humans have the same basic needs.
• What’s your view? In this activity, young people have the opportunity to share their opinions about animals.
• What would an RSPCA officer do? In this activity young people get the opportunity to discover what sorts of legal consequences there can be if you are cruel to animals, whether it is intentional or not.

Interactive resources

• Breaking the chain - Our youth justice resource to help young people to consider what happens when people are cruel to animals.
• Science, ethics and animals - Our secondary science interactive resource. Linked to GCSE science, this is designed to stimulate ethical debate and scientific research, and aim to get students thinking about the way we interact with, value and use animals in our daily lives.
• Animals and us - Our primary KS1 and KS2 curriculum linked resource.

To help us continue to support campaigns like the Staffy rehoming campaign through educating future generations, please donate.