The next generation of responsible pet owners

This year our One Health Educators, Paula and Nadia, had the opportunity to spend four weeks with five different classes at a school in Freirina, a small community in northern Chile, engaging the students in workshops about pet health and welfare, through a One Health lens.  After facilitating eight workshops with each class, Nadia and Paula asked the kids to reflect on how they will put into action what they had learned through the workshops.

Students show off their pets’ name tags - the gift they received after completing the series of Healthy Pets workshops.

One 8-year old boy, Julián, shared that after the workshops, he approached his dad about having their family's dog vaccinated and dewormed. His dad had a very different view, and told Julián that pets do not need those things and on the contrary, they don't need to go to the veterinarian at all. Julián was  frustrated and disheartened with his father's response, so he asked our One Health Educator, Nadia, what to do. She helped him understand that as a child, he could not control or be responsible for his father's decisions regarding his dog, but he can share what he's learned and when he grows up, he will have the chance to put his knowledge about responsible pet ownership into action. Julián felt better, and he was determined to make the best choices for the well-being of his own future pets.

For us, this story was significant for two main reasons: 1) It demonstrates that kids who participate in the workshop are sharing what they learned with their families and trying to implement change in the ways they care for their pets, and 2) It reminds us how much work we have left to do to change the culture of responsible pet ownership here in Chile. These kinds of stories are the best indicators that our Healthy Pets workshops are critically important to both the animals and people of Chile, and we look forward to continuing this work in 2022!