BASSETERRE, St. Kitts – IN keeping with their organisation’s aim, four members of People for Animal Welfare on St. Kitts (PAWS) visited the Irish Town Primary School Friday last (Nov. 19) to educate pupils on the importance of proper care and treatment of animals.
Led by Kristen Lee, a third semester student at Ross University School of Veterinary Medicine and PAWS’ education outreach coordinator, the team created a programme to educate the pupils of Dawn Dore’s third grade class about pet companionship and animal safety.
According to a press release from Jodi S. Peeler, Assistant Dean, External Relations and Communication at Ross University, Lee said, “The goal is not simply to educate the students about how to care for pets, but also get the children excited about animals since there are so many that we share this island with in St. Kitts. By teaching children how to treat animals wee, we hope they will also learn to treat each other well.”
The Assistant Dean explained that Lee’s responsibility as education coordinator is to organise lesson plans and contact school officials to determine a date when presentations would be hosted. He also explained that the goal is to continue the visits to schools on the island to create a consistent message to the children.
Peeler said in 2009, PAWS had visited more than six classes and worked with students from five to 12 years old, and that April Gessner, Maria Racioppo and Chelsea Spring had accompanied Lee on the organisation’s visit to Irish Town Primary School.
“With pet photos in hand, the group walked into the classroom to be greeted by Ms. Dore and about 15 elated third grade students. The team began the presentation by introducing the students to the PAWS organisation, while connecting with the children by explaining that they, too, are also students; just students who are learning to be doctors of animals. The large group of children was then divided into small groups so that each educator could create a more personalised approach to the learning experience,” Peeler said.
He also said that the leaders discussed the difference between a pet and an animal, and followed up with a discussion of how to take proper care of a pet.
Lee told the children that a pet is like a friend and “should be treated with affection. That means we love them and care for them so that they can be healthy”.
The group also discussed the importance of cleanliness and proper feeding of animals; stating that water bowls should be clean and refreshed each day, especially with the warm climate in St. Kitts.
Members of the group also told the children that dogs and cats should be fed the proper food designed for animals and that they should not feed animals chocolate, caffeine, or bones from fish, meat, or poultry.
The children were also encouraged to keep pets and their “sleeping area” clean so that the animals do not bring “bad bugs,” such as ticks and fleas into the home.
It is common knowledge that many members of the St. Kitts community are scared or intimidated by animals. Consequently, PAWS members stressed the importance of animal safety and how to properly approach a dog.
They told the children that the first step is to look at the signals the dog is providing.
“Is it waging its tail and have relaxed ear? If so, the dog is showing signs of happiness. If the dog is growling, showing its teeth and its tail is straight up, then it may be angry. The most important item to remember is to not approach a dog you do not know,” were the advice given to the attentive children.
Commenting on the education project, Lauren Deahl, PAWS’ president and a sixth semester student, said, “We are grateful to be a part of this island and we hope to help create awareness about the proper care for animals and, at the same time, PAWS wants to be respectful of how people in St. Kitts share the island with these animals and the culture. This is why we believe the education programme for the children is important for future generations.”
Peeler explained that the organisation is not only seeking to educate citizens and residents of St. Kitts about animal treatment, but noted that it has a network of students and faculty who act as fosters to the stray animals on the island that are homeless.
“In foster care,” he added, “the animals are provided a loving, safe environment and are given the proper food and water, medical care and are spayed or neutered. Once the animals are deemed healthy enough for adoption, PAWS hosts an adoption day on the Ross University School of Veterinary Medicine campus to assist the animal in finding a caring home.”
The Assistant Dean informed that PAWS would be visiting two additional groups of students before year-end and would be hosting an adoption day, which is open to the public, on Saturday, November 27. He added that the organisation is always looking for volunteers to assist with community education and animal fostering, and interested persons could visit its site at www.rosspaws.com <http://www.rosspaws.com>
PAWS a non-profit organisation, was established in 2000 through the collaboration of a group of veterinary students at Ross University and concerned residents of St. Kitts. The organisation is committed to educating the St. Kitts community about the welfare and treatment of animals as well as trying to find animals caring homes. It also provides assistance to people on the island by offering cost-assisted medical care at the Ross University Veterinary Teaching Hospital, providing animal care education and caring for stray animals.
