Embed Animal Welfare into the Scottish Curriculum
What we’re campaigning for and how you can help.
What we’re campaigning for
We want animal welfare to be formally embedded within Scotland’s education curriculum as part of the national education reform programme.
Why we’re campaigning
Incorporating animal welfare education fosters empathy, ethical awareness, and a strong sense of social responsibility in children and young people. It directly supports national priorities, including:
- Responsible citizenship
- Mental health and wellbeing
- Sustainability and environmental stewardship
- Violence prevention and early intervention
Research from the Scottish SPCA and the University of Edinburgh shows clear benefits of animal welfare education, including:
- Greater understanding of animal needs and sentience
- Improved emotional intelligence and recognition of both human and animal emotions
- Increased cognitive and behavioural empathy towards animals
- Proven reductions in the risk of animal harm among high-risk children through early educational interventions
Animal welfare education is more than a single subject — it is a proven, evidence-based driver of social change.
How we will do this
Animal welfare education should be co-designed as part of Scotland’s new national education framework, in partnership with Education Scotland, teachers, children and young people.
The Hidden Victims of Blood Sports: Why we need Stronger Enforcement
I didn’t know I was part of a game. I was just a cat, living my quiet life in Alloa, until the night the dogs came. They were sent to find me, trained to kill. The man holding their leads didn’t see me as a living creature. To him, I was sport, something to be chased, cornered, and destroyed.
When the attack started, I tried to run, but there was no escape. I was attacked while he filmed on his phone. He’d done it before, to badgers, to foxes, sending his dogs to fight and kill while he watched and recorded.
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The Scottish SPCA and Police Scotland found the videos and brought him to court. The footage showed the deliberate, sustained cruelty. This was not neglect. It was entertainment built on suffering.
I am just one of many victims. Animal fighting is still not a thing of the past. It still happens, often hidden online or shared through encrypted groups. Behind every video or photograph is a real animal experiencing terror and agony.
The people who do this are not just cruel, they are organised, often repeat offenders. That’s why Scotland needs stronger enforcement and better information-sharing between agencies, so that cruelty like this is uncovered faster and punished more severely.
No animal should suffer in silence or be used for someone’s amusement. Every act of cruelty leaves scars that never fully heal.
What we’re asking candidates and political parties to do
We invite you to meet with us, hear the evidence behind our proposals, and explore how you can place animal welfare at the centre of your commitments. These are practical, achievable steps that will:
- Reduce animal abuse
- Strengthen enforcement
- Make Scotland safer and fairer for animals and people alike
What we’re asking Scotland to do
Use your voice for Scotland’s animals.
We are asking for Scotland’s support. You can do this by learning more about the issues we’re tackling, showing and sharing your support on social media, and adding your voice to the call for change.
Every conversation matters. Every show of support helps us make the case that animal welfare is not a luxury — it is essential to Scotland’s wellbeing.
Animals count in Scotland — Let’s make them count for something.
Support us from £5 a month
Every £1 helps us rescue, protect and advocate for Scotland’s animals.
