Embed Animal Welfare into the Scottish Curriculum
We’re calling for animal welfare to be part of the national curriculum to help build a kinder, more compassionate Scotland.
What we’re campaigning for
We’re campaigning for animal welfare to be formally embedded within Scotland’s education curriculum as part of the national education reform programme.
Teaching animal welfare from an early age fosters empathy, ethical awareness, and social responsibility in children and young people, supporting national priorities such as responsible citizenship, mental health and wellbeing, sustainability, and violence prevention.
Research from the Scottish SPCA and the University of Edinburgh demonstrates that animal welfare education increases understanding of animal needs and sentience, improves emotional intelligence, and strengthens empathy towards both people and animals. Early educational interventions have also been proven to reduce the risk of animal harm among high-risk children.
Animal welfare education is more than a single subject, it is a powerful, evidence-based driver of social change.
Learning Kindness Towards Animals
Lucy’s Story
My name’s Lucy, and I’ll never forget the day the Scottish SPCA came to my school. We learned about how animals feel, happiness, fear, pain, just like we do. I didn’t expect it to change how I saw the world, but it did.
Before, I’d never thought much about the rabbits in the garden centre, or the dogs left in cars on hot days. But that day, something clicked. I started noticing more. I started caring more.
The Scottish SPCA’s Animal Guardians programme works with children like me who might be struggling at home or at school. It helps us build empathy and confidence through learning about animals.
I also learned about rabbits, how they’re social, how they need space, company, and the right diet. Too many are bought on impulse and end up abandoned when families realise how much care they need
This case study is based on the work we do in education and is not based on an actual event.
Why animal welfare in education matters
Education changes that. It stops cruelty before it starts. It teaches respect for life and gives young people the tools to act with compassion.
If every child in Scotland learned what we did, fewer animals would need rescuing. Fewer would suffer in silence. And maybe, when we grow up, kindness would be something we all practise instinctively, not something that has to be taught.
That’s why animal welfare education belongs in every school. Because empathy, once learned, lasts a lifetime.
Take action today
The collective voice is stronger. Please take 5 minutes to email your local candidate and let them know you support our manifesto. We’ve written the email for you but adding your own words and personal voice will really help.
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