Visiting pups were welcomed with open arms this week as St Kieran’s Catholic School’s youngest students learnt what it means to be a responsible pet owner.
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Cinch the Kelpie and Fergie the Bulldog are two well cared for pets in Mount Isa, setting an example in the Australian Veterinary Association’s Pets and People Education Program (AVA PetPEP).
Two vets from North West Veterinary Clinic, and two Local Laws Officers from Mount Isa City Council accompanied the canine friends.
Local veterinarian, Katelyn Stretton, taught the students basic skills in being safe around animals, avoiding dog bites, and caring for animals responsibly.
“As the vet clinic side of it, we are making sure students understand how to keep their pets healthy throughout the year, and ways in which they can do that with Mum and Dad,” Ms Stretton said.
Keeping pets healthy means checking their ears, checking their coat, looking at their feet, and taking them to the vet for annual health checks.
“We talked about how we listen to their hearts, do blood tests, vaccinations, worming, fleas and ticks, things like that.”
Children asked questions and talked about their pets.
Local Laws Officers talked to students about the responsibilities of pet ownership, like making sure gates are closed and dogs are registered and microchipped.
“We also show them what a ‘dangerous dog’ sign looks like, and tell them not to approach any dog unless they have the consent of the pet owner,” Local Laws Officer, Charmaine Hartwig, said.
The pet education program returns to St Kieran’s to educate other year levels next Tuesday August 29 from 11.10am.
AVA PetPEP is a partnership between the Australian Veterinary Association, RSPCA Queensland and Biosecurity Queensland.
The support of Mount Isa City Council ensures this program is available to local schools free of charge.
This year AVA PetPEP will spread the word about responsible pet ownership and safety around animals to 20,000 students in more than 400 schools across Queensland.
For more information about AVA PetPEP, and tips on caring for animals, visit www.ava.com.au/petpep