People Training

Pet ownership is a very rewarding part of life, but it comes with certain responsibilities. Animal shelters in Victoria have recognised the need for animal education, and the Burwood East RSPCA shelter and the Coldstream Animal Aid shelter have taken positive steps towards helping the public achieve greater levels of understanding towards their pets.

RSPCA Burwood East runs a number of Clinic Information Sessions, some of their previous topics have included Senior Pets and How To Speak Dog Language, and these education programs help the public to better understand their pets’ behaviours and needs.

Emma Ginsberg from the Education Department of the Burwood East RSPCA shelter, Victoria, recommended the sessions for first time pets owners and for anyone thinking about adopting an animal from the shelter. “A lot of people don’t know what they’re getting themselves into, so if they go along to these sessions, they can ask as many questions that they want and they’ll get answers. No matter which session you go to, it comes down to general animal behaviour. If people take animals home and train them incorrectly it’s a lot harder to train bad behaviours away.”

The Animal Aid shelter in Coldstream, Victoria, is presently in a period of change. General Manager Nell Thompson, spoke about the new directions and the facilities that the shelter is looking forward to.

“We’ve launched our education department this year and we’re having a class room installed on site in the next couple of months, and we’ll be running a range of educational programs, from preschool to elderly, to industry... the whole gamut. There’s a lot going on.”

Education can make all the difference between a returned pet that didn’t live up to a new family’s expectations, and a new pet that enjoys a fulfilling, permanent relationship with its new family.