The SPCA has launched a nationwide education programme aiming to shape how young kids treat animals.
With high rates of animal abuse in New Zealand the SPCA is forced to continuously care for thousands of abandoned, injured or abused animals.
And now they've gone with something different to buck the trend.
It may not seem like it, but a visit from some dogs at Glen Eden Primary School today was purely for educational purposes.
The students here get a first look at the SPCA's new animal welfare programme which aims to educate kids on how to properly treat animals.
It's based on research showing children who mistreat animals often grow up to be violent.
"The most effective way to achieve behavioural change is to work 7-to-12 year-old children so we're looking at increasing empathy and compassion across the next generation of New Zealanders," says Dr Arnja Dale.
The programme is targeted at primary and intermediate schools and will be incorporated into the students' daily curriculum activities.
"We looked at what we were doing and strategically, in terms of actually making a difference, we invested substantially in this programme to try and break this cycle of violence," says Dr Dale.
The programme's being rolled out nationwide following a three-year pilot in Auckland.
Newshub.
