Workshop held to sensitise children towards animals

VADODARA, May 21: Being tender, loving and caring towards their pets might not always come naturally to children. Cruel pranks on both domes...

VADODARA, May 21: Being tender, loving and caring towards their pets might not always come naturally to children. Cruel pranks on both domestic and stray animals often unknowingly becomes a child’s play, especially among slum children. The reason being lack of a compassionate approach resulting from dearth of information. Aiming to create awareness among slum children on the need to show kindness to animals, a six-day workshop was organised in the city’s slums by the Vadodara Centre for Animal Rescue and Emergency (VCARE).

In association with the Baroda Citizens Council (BCC), which is conducting a three-month summer vacation camp for school-going slum children, VCARE held workshops in the slums around Navidharti, Bhimtalav, Vijaywadi, Boriya Talao, Akota Gymnasium and Navayard from May 15 to 21.

The morning and evening gatherings with the children included question-answer sessions and screening of animated video-films depicting cruelties inflicted on harmless animals and birds.“Very often, you could see a child beating a cow or pulling a goat by its legs just for fun. One would wonder how a child could learn to be so cruel. Speaking to them, one learnt that the children did not realise that they were hurting the animals.

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Once this was explained to them they became more sympathetic not only towards their pets but also strays” said VCARE Humane Education Officer Ujwal Banga.

Over 15 children participated in the concluding workshop held at the Lalpura slum in Navayard on Thursday. Viewing the video-film screened on the occasion, the children unanimously expressed displeasure about owners beating domestic animals, housing them in filthy and unhealthy environs and denying them a decent meal. “These are the animals which work for us and only if they are treated properly will they do us good service,” was the moral of the story voiced by the children in chorus.