Abstract
This work establishes as impression of the image of animals as conveyed to school children
via their schoolbooks and one particular series of childrenýs books. The difference between
the behavior of pet owners towards animals to that of children without pets was drawn up us-ing
a questionnaire. Furthermore, a gender-specific analysis was undertaken, as was a com-parison
between children of school classes with animals and school classes without.
Schoools should impart an objective, realistic image of animals. Thus a sound basis can be
formed on which children may enter into species-appropriate relationships with animals, in
turn shaping an animal protective behaviour. However, in the course of this research, the
school books were found to be full of clichés, in particular the commonly found forms of hu-manizing.
The keeping of pets, which is an important means of direct contact for city children to ani-mals,
is insufficiently represented. Above all, a lack of information regarding the housing of
rodent and leporine species was observed. This is worthy of criticism as both rodent and lepo-rine
species are the most kept pets among children.
The children`s knowledge regarding animals was generally good, but they were nevertheless
unable to answer a number of very simple questions. Their information about cattle was defi-cient.
There should be more opportunities for children at school to get to know animals di-rectly,
not only via books. Pet owners generally knew more about animals than those children
without pets. Children without pets often only find acquaintance to animals via media. How-ever,
as media by and large conveys a falsified image of animals, loaded with humanization
and clichés, children without pets depend on their schools for an objective appreciation. As
one can assume that an intensive association with the media serves as a substitute for the di-rect
contact with animals, schools must initiate an accessibility for direct contacts with ani-mals.
Only one of all classes here in question incorporated direct contact. In this class, general
knowledge questions about animals were more easily answered, particularly by the girls who
demonstrated a wider knowledge. For those children without animals, their general knowledge
was not only poorer but furthermore the tendency towards anthropomorphisms was higher.
Children without pets possessed a lesser objective understanding of animals than those with.
They tended towards humanization. A foundation of responsibility towards animals , along the lines of the laws for the protection
of animals, is not only founded upon a communication of theoretical knowledge, but, as this
research shows, is generated primarily through direct contact with animals. This creates a
sound, first hand understanding of animals and promotes an animal-appropriate behaviour. As
such, children should be as broadly informed as possible about behaviour towards their ani-mals,
even at school. As the analysis of their school books shows, children receive less real
information about their most common pets. To optimize the information for children regard-ing
keeping of pets, vets should be directly involved in the production of school books. It
would be similarly desirable to engage vets in schools as experts in animal protection and
keeping of pets, as is currently carried out by the Erna-Graff foundation. However, the best
possible achievement would be to implement ýanimal protectioný as an integrated subject in
the school curriculum. There are currently only a few such projects being carried out, their
realization being wholly dependent on individual teachers. Only then is it possible to educate
children in an animal appropriate behaviour.
Vets should attribute to the child as pet owner, or potential pet owner, far more meaning in the
activities of their practice. There should be information material, specially aimed towards
children, a specific attitude to the child as patient owner, even special surgery hours for pet
owning children and those who would like to become one. The vet could establish him or her-self
early on in the minds of children as a competent partner for consultation when it comes to
their pets. |
