PetPEP (Pets and People Education Program) is an education initiative for primary schools throughout Australia, started by the Australian Veterinary Association (AVA) in 1991. The program was developed to promote responsible pet ownership and to teach children how to behave safely around animals. The program was designed by vets with the assistance of teachers to help integrate the message of responsible pet ownership into primary school teaching and learning
Petplan Australia are proud supporters of the initiative, and are on board for the second year as the major sponsor of the PetPEP Junior Activity Booklets for 2018 in Queensland.
PetPEP visits are available to primary schools throughout Queensland; and for all other states and territories, PetPEP is an online resource for vets, teachers and the community.
School visits involve speakers from the animal care community such as vets, vet nurses, local council officers, and other animal industry professionals delivering interactive and informative lessons about pets and the responsibilities that come with owning them.
The visits are free, fully coordinated and resourced by the AVA PetPEP team and are aligned with the Australian Curriculum.
The AVA PetPEP website has been set up for use by everyone ??? students, teachers, parents and animal care professionals. You will find plenty of useful information, activities and links there.
AVA PetPEP has five key messages which are covered in the school visits and on the website:
- Responsible pet ownership
- Safety around animals
- Healthy living (pets and animals)
- Welfare of animals
- Animals and the community
AVA PetPEP works closely with local vets and councils to get the message out there about responsible pet ownership, and to strengthen community awareness of local laws and animal management issues. They believe that these education programs play an important part in reducing the number of unwanted animals in the community, and also help minimise the number of dog bites.
It is easy to get involved, and all of the details and information can be found at http://petpep.ava.com.au/. Schools in Queensland are encouraged to request a school visit by either contacting the AVA PetPEP Education Team or submitting an online booking form by clicking here!
