Education & Animal Welfare

RSPCA Cymru has long campaigned for greater awareness of the importance of animal welfare within Wales' educational environment and curriculum. We believe that education is the best means of prevention and that by instilling compassion in our young people, we can help create a society that is kinder to animals. 

The new Curriculum for Wales is currently being rolled out, with it expected that all learners in Wales will be taught under this initiative by 2026. While the new curriculum does not currently make the teaching of animal welfare matters compulsory, there are a number of Areas of Learning and Experience (AoLEs) which could see this subject covered such as humanities and science and technology. 

We believe that covering animal welfare under these AoLEs - and encouraging students to think of animals as sentient beings with feelings and emotions - could help equip young people with compassion, empathy and social responsibility. Animal welfare can also act as a topical conduit to other areas of study, such as citizenship, philosophy and law.

We're eager for everyone in Wales to join the RSPCA on this journey and support the development of a future society that is truly kind to animals, regardless of their age. Utilising the opportunities provided by Wales’ new curriculum could help make this possible and we continue to encourage both teachers and decision makers to prioritise such action.

For more information about our education resources and offering please visit our education site here: https://education.rspca.org.uk/