Scottish SPCA and students say embedding animal welfare in the national curriculum is vital
A dog that survived one of Scotland’s worst low-welfare puppy trade cases has visited a local school, helping to highlight why animal welfare education is vital for young people.
Indie, a two-year-old cockapoo rescued from a lorry at Cairnryan ferry port in Dumfries and Galloway, met students at Queen Margaret Academy in Ayrshire.
The Scottish SPCA partnered with pupils from the school’s Feel Good Friday club, who ran a raffle and a “Guess the Dog’s Name” competition, raising £168 for the charity.
Students welcomed the visit, saying animal welfare education was necessary to ensure every animal gets the “love, kindness and respect” they deserve.
One student said: “Meeting Indie was an eye-opener on how dogs and animals can be mistreated.”
Every animal deserves to live a happy and healthy life
Another student, Abbey, said: “Animal welfare is important because I think every animal deserves to live a happy and healthy life.”
Meanwhile, another student, Ava highlighted the importance of animal welfare education in tackling the growing issue of low-welfare puppy trade.
And, Alyssa, another student added: “Animal welfare is important because I think every animal deserves love, kindness, respect and a warm home”
While, Ebony, another member of the club, said: “Animal welfare is important because it’s important that every animal should have a chance to a fair and loving life and not to suffer.”
Animal welfare education in the national curriculum is more important than ever
With reports of low-welfare puppy trade increasing and demand on the Scottish SPCA’s services continuing to rise, the charity is warning that embedding animal welfare education in the national curriculum is more important than ever. Teaching compassion early not only protects animals and people but also helps create safer and kinder communities across Scotland.
Research from the Scottish SPCA and the University of Edinburgh shows that animal welfare education increases understanding of animal needs and sentience, improves emotional intelligence and reduces the risk of animal harm among high-risk children. Incorporating it in the curriculum also directly supports national priorities, including mental health and wellbeing.
Heather Burrel, the teacher who runs the club, said: “Our amazing Feel Good Friday group showed incredible care and commitment by raising money for the SSPCA, a charity close to their hearts. These thoughtful young people gave up their break and lunch times to run the fundraising table – and their efforts truly paid off!
A huge thank you
“A huge thank you to our Queen Margaret Academy community for their generosity and support.
“Special thanks to Indie and Sharon for visiting and sharing how fundraising helps animals in need – it was an inspiring experience for everyone!!”
Other students said: “It was amazing to see indie and get told her story and how she got helped. Indie reminds us that we all deserve a second chance.”
Indie was one of 24 cockapoo puppies the Scottish SPCA rescued from the low-welfare puppy trade in early 2024. They were found in extremely poor conditions inside a lorry at the Cairnryan ferry port, with no access to water or food. Many were suffering from life-threatening diseases.
All 24 puppies have since been rehomed
Following a call to our animal helpline, Animal Rescue Officers attended and transported the puppies to the charity’s Glasgow Animal Rescue and Rehoming Centre, where they were nursed back to health. All 24 puppies have since been rehomed into loving homes.
Sharon Davison, the Scottish SPCA’s Regional Fundraising Lead for the West of Scotland, said: “”It was such a joy visiting the school with Indie and seeing how excited everyone was to meet him! The pupils were so kind and gentle, and it meant so much to see how much they care about animals. Meeting a rescue dog like Indie really helps young people understand what compassion and empathy look like in action.
Their generosity truly makes a difference
“These kinds of experiences are so important – they teach emotional intelligence and kindness towards animals from an early age. Indie and I are so grateful for the amazing support the Feel Good Friday Club showed for the Scottish SPCA. Their generosity truly makes a difference.”
Indie’s visit was pre-arranged with the school to ensure he would not be put in a stressful situation and that the environment was adequate for his needs. The children were briefed beforehand and given ground rules on how to correctly treat and be around Indie to ensure his comfort.
The meeting took place in a spacious room in the school, to ensure Indie was in a controlled and calm environment. As an Ambassadog for the Scottish SPCA, Indie is familiar with interacting with the general public, having attended various events beforehand. However, it is important to highlight this is not the case for all dogs, and for many being taken into a school can be a very distressful experience.
Help foster empathy, ethical awareness and a strong sense of social responsibility
The Scottish SPCA is calling for animal welfare education to be incorporated into the national curriculum to help foster empathy, ethical awareness and a strong sense of social responsibility in young people. Importantly, it would also help prevent animal abuse and neglect.
Read the full manifesto here.
To report any act of cruelty visit our website here.
