Animals in teaching

This might be something as simple as observing animals to learn about their behaviour or as complex as studying animals in science fair projects. Animals may be involved in teaching children about routine farming practices or assisting in lessons relating to animal care.

Any member of a school’s staff who is responsible for an animal(s) being on the premises – whether on a temporary or permanent basis – is legally required under the Animal Welfare Act 1999 to ensure that the physical, health and behavioural needs of the animals are met. These responsibilities continue so long as the animal remains on-site – including on holidays and the weekends!

Under the Animal Welfare Act 1999, the use of animals in teaching in New Zealand must be reviewed and approved by an Animal Ethics Committee. Animal Ethics Committees are made up of a group of at least 4 people with diverse backgrounds and knowledge in science and research, animal welfare, public concerns, and veterinary medicine.

These committees must weigh the costs or harms to the animal against the potential benefits of their use in teaching and must consider the internationally recognised ethical principles that aim to improve the welfare of the animals. These principles are reduction, refinement, and replacement, otherwise known as the 3Rs:

• Reduction aims to reduce the number of animals used.

• Refinement aims to improve the procedures involving the animal, or the conditions in which animals are housed.

• Replacement aims to replace the use of animals with non-animal alternatives. For example, instead of using animals for classroom dissection, 3D models or videos can be successful non-animal options to teach anatomy.

It’s important that the welfare of animals used in teaching is safeguarded. Meeting an animal’s welfare needs and ensuring they live a good life may be difficult to meet in educational settings. Busy and noisy school environments can have negative impacts on the welfare of animals. An animal’s suitability for being kept or used in teaching should always be assessed on a case-by-case basis, with consideration to their species, age, behaviour, life history, and the specifics of the setting and intended interactions.

Interactions with animals should be supervised at all times by an appropriately experienced person and animals should be given adequate rest periods away from disturbance and contact with students.

Provision must also be made for suitable and enriched housing, appropriate social groups, and basic and veterinary care during the school term, weekends, and holidays.

Our organisation supports the teaching of animal behaviour, welfare, and biology in schools without the need to keep or use animals. Fortunately, many of the desired learning outcomes – such as fostering empathy, respect and kindness, and learning about animal care – can be developed without keeping an animal in the classroom!

For teachers looking for resources on the use of animals in teaching, SPCA’s Teachers’ Portal is designed for early childhood educators and classroom teachers of Years 0 – 8. The Teachers’ Portal provides guidance materials relating to the use of animals in teaching, such as commonly used species in education settings (rabbits, guinea pigs, fish) and alternatives to keeping live animals in classrooms.

SPCA’s educational resources for teachers offer tools and strategies to enhance existing teaching and learning and allow students to gain knowledge and understanding of animals through interactive, project-based learning. SPCA also has a Kids’ Portal – an interactive and engaging learning tool for children - as well as 24 instructional readers (Storybooks) that teach core animal care and wellbeing lessons, levelled in alignment with the Ministry for Education’s curriculum.