THE DEVELOPMENT OF INFORMAL ENVIRONMENTAL PROTECTION EDUCATION APPLYING PRACTISES OF THE ROYAL SOCIETY FOR THE PREVENTION OF CRUELTY TO ANIMALS (RSPCA)

It is essential to talk about animal welfare in schools as wide and properly as possible, because this educates young man's unseen, respect to all forms of lives, fellow–feeling to animals, and undoubtedly preclude cruelty. The aim of the article is to introduce the guide for animal welfare education “People and animals“, that was prepared by Lithuanian animal care organization. Animal welfare educational guide “People and animals” is dedicated for comprehensive schools teachers, who are not partial to animal welfare and care. It consists of general part and program, methodical material for teachers, examples of integrated lessons and practical tasks. Tasks are easily applicable simplifying or extending them. Animal welfare education enhances the sensation of the surrounding world, respect to it, develops understanding about life's value – highlights moral values. Animal welfare is a part of ecological education. Aim is to form responsible ecological attitude. In this article we try to clear out, how ecological education is related to the animal welfare education; discuss ecological topics, which directly affect animal welfare; link them to common educational programs and school needs. Ecological education and animal welfare education has a lot of contact points. Program material can be integrated into other subjects: languages, arts, music, nature sciences, mathematics, physical training, ecology. You can find examples in the article, represented in chart. In the article we will overlook in detail the practical application of the animal welfare educational guide in general education and informal training. In conclusions we can say: 1) embodying animal welfare programs we have to involve all the community: teachers, pupils, parents, national and public organizations, 2) collaboration between schools, other educational institutions and public organizations is the main reason to success, 3) nature study lessons in the ZOO – stops cruelty and violence against animals, 4) this teaching method develops pupil's ecological culture, matures active interest in nature, deepen knowledge, implants respect for life and responsibility for it.