ANIMAL WELFARE
POLICY
Author:
Responsible Organisation:
Date issued:
Review date:
Kate Hewitt
Hope House School
June 2013
June 2014
Version 1
Signed:
__________________
Kate Hewitt
Hope House School, Barnby Road, Newark, NG24 3NE
Version Control Sheet
Version:
Date of issue:
1
June 2013
Date of revision:
Issued by:
Kate Hewitt
Contents
No.
Section
1
2
3
4.
5.
6.
7.
8.
9.
Introduction
Purpose of the Policy
Animal Welfare Act 2006
Pet Animal Husbandry
Livestock Husbandry
Livestock Legislation
Protocols and Care Plans
The Role of Animal Unit Coordinator
Training and Support
1. Introduction
Hope House School recognises that there must be an explicit animal welfare
education rationale for using animals in education, and legislation relating to
animals must be considered in the development of programmes of study.
It is well known that animals offer a non-judgemental, unconditional relationship
with their carers and this can be especially important for children with ASD or
learning difficulties. Some of our students have quite complex needs and
working with animals can enhance the children’s lives on a therapeutic level and
provide learning opportunities that cannot be readily accessed in the classroom
environment. Being in touch with the Animals Unit’s daily routines gives them
security and reassurance, and reduces anxiety.
Animal care also offers many opportunities for physical therapy. Carrying feed
bags and water buckets, pushing wheelbarrows and using a fork or spade all
provide autistic children with feedback about where their bodies are in space.
They can also learn the benefit of team work through tasks like moving a bale of
straw – one person cannot do it on their own so they get the positive experience
of needing others to achieve an end, an experience that is hard to replicate in
the classroom.
The Unit also provides curriculum linked activities within a real life context.
Students will be learning about the specialised diet of our animals and why fresh
water is vital. They will also learn about providing environmental enrichment by
looking at how animals live in the wild. This kind of hands-on experience develops
their own environmental awareness and contributes to their understanding of
the importance of a healthy lifestyle, for themselves as well as the animals.
However, Hope House School is committed to the fact that animals should never
be regarded as just another educational resource; they are living creatures and
their welfare needs must never be disregarded for educational purposes.
2. Purpose of this Policy
This policy provides guidelines to ensure that proper provision is made for the
welfare needs of all of the vertebrate and invertebrate animals in our care, and
to ensure that the terms of the Animal Welfare Act 2006 are upheld.
3. Animal Welfare Act 2006
As a result of the Animal Welfare Act, management and staff of Hope
House School have a ‘duty of care’ to ensure proper provision is made for
the welfare of all our animals, not only during term time and weekends
but also during the school holidays.
The Act says that the welfare needs of an animal include:
 its need for a suitable environment
 its need for a suitable diet
 its need to be able to exhibit normal behaviour patterns
 any need it has to be housed with, or apart from, other animals
 its need to be protected from pain, suffering, injury and disease
4. Pet Animal Husbandry
In order to comply will this legislation we will ensure that all our small
animals have:
(i)
(ii)
(iii)
(iv)
(v)
Accommodation that is appropriate to the animal and its size:
This will include giving access outside as well as inside where
appropriate and/or somewhere protected from the cold; being
protected from predators; have appropriate sleeping arrangements;
have regularly cleaned accommodation; being kept out of direct
sunlight; have extra heating and light where necessary; have
sufficiently large enclosures.
Suitable food and fresh water:
This will include providing a balanced and nutritious diet and having
a constant supply of fresh, clean, drinking water.
Freedom to exhibit normal behaviour patterns:
This will include handling animals only at the appropriate time of
day; having access to bathing water if necessary: having daily
exercise; having toys; being allowed to dig if appropriate.
Suitable companionship:
This will include having the companionship of its own species where
appropriate or being kept away from some other species
Protection from pain, suffering, injury and disease:
This will include regular grooming where appropriate; being
neutered when necessary; receiving regular vet checks; ensuring
that staff are trained to recognise ill health; regular vet checks and
immunisations and worming plan where appropriate.
5. Livestock Husbandry
Hope House School recognises that keeping livestock on site brings
additional considerations that have to be addressed:
(i)
A Suitable Environment
We will ensure that all livestock, including poultry, will have access
to a suitable shelter at all times. It will be constructed and
insulated to give proper protection against extremes of weather.
All buildings will be adequately ventilated but at the same time the
animals will be protected from draughts.
The pigs will have access to wallows and/or other means of keeping
cool in hot weather.
All animals will have access to a comfortable solid base lying area
with plenty of bedding material or rubber matting where
appropriate. Housing and enclosures will be mucked out and bedding
replenished daily.
Animals will have access to a suitable area for exercise, with
enough space to ensure that they can move around freely and
express normal behaviour patterns.
Poultry will have access to suitable perches/roosting areas and, in
the case of laying birds, quiet nesting sites/boxes.
Specific recommendations for space allowance for each species will
be sought from relevant agricultural/welfare organisations.
Fencing will be strong enough to contain the species in question, will
be frequently inspected and properly maintained, and will not have
the potential to cause injury to the animals.
(ii)
Suitable food and fresh water
The dietary requirements of each species will be ascertained by
consulting a vet or a livestock nutrition consultant.
All animals will have continuous supply of clean, fresh drinking
water.
(iii)
Being able to exhibit normal behaviour patterns
Our animals will not be kept in barren environments that do not
enable them to carry out natural behaviours, and that may result in
boredom and frustration. For example, pigs have a strong instinct
to root and carry out investigative behaviours, and our pig pen
provides both space and suitable material to do this.
Our poultry are provided with the correct environment which
accommodates scratching and dust behaving behaviours.
(iv)
Companionship issues
We will ensure that all our animals will have company of their own
kind.
(v)
Unfamiliar adult animals will always be introduced to each other
with great care as we recognise that some species can be
aggressive towards unfamiliar individuals.
Protection from pain, suffering, injury and disease
We have a specialist livestock vet to call upon to deal with our large
animals and poultry.
Veterinary health plan will be developed for each species in
conjunction with the vet.
Our animals will receive regular vet checks, together with
appropriate immunisation, treatment for and prevention of external
and internal parasites and foot trimming for the pigs and donkeys
Provision is in place for the immediate humane destruction of
chronically sick or severely injured animals on site if necessary.
6. Livestock legislation
It is the role of the Unit coordinator to keep up to date with all
legislation relating to the ownership and movement of livestock.
7. Protocols and care plans
Hope House School has developed care plans for each individual
species which are based on RSPCA guidelines. Each individual animal
has its own Medication and Treatment Record. The Unit
coordinator is responsible for ensuring that care plans, protocols
and record keeping are up to date, and that a rota is in place for
the day-to-day care of the animals throughout the academic year
(including weekends and holidays). Also, contact details for vets,
farriers, RSPCA and rescue services is displayed both in the
Animal Unit office and in the main school office. Specific safety
procedures for dealing with emergencies which may result in the
school being closed temporarily or permanently closed (eg fire,
flooding, breakdown of supplies such as food and electricity) are
detailed in the School Business Contingency Plan and the Fire
Procedures
8. The Animal Unit Coordinator
The Unit coordinator has responsibility for:
 the welfare and husbandry of the animals at all times, including provision
for holidays and weekends.
 Ensuring that any contact between children/young people and animals is
supervised and controlled at all times
 Ensuring that washing facilities and hand wash stations are kept clean
and well stocked
 the animals are given adequate ‘rest’ periods away from disturbance
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the animals lifestyle (according to its species) fits with the academic day
any animals kept are prevented from indiscriminate breeding
ensuring all records and protocols are up to date
keeping up to date with new and current legislation
ensuring that all the animals that are to be handled by children, or taken
to other schools or community groups, are carefully selected to ensure
that the experience is not likely to be fearful for them.
9. Training and Support
Any members of staff who are actively involved in handling the animals
will hold a recognised certificate of training in Animal Care/Animal
Welfare/Animal Behaviour, or be supervised by a qualified person.
Hope House School will endeavour to ensure that at least one member of
staff is trained to at least a Level 3 standard and continuously keeps up
to date with current legislation and animal welfare guidelines.
Literature, guidance and advice will be taken from:
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RSPCA
Federation of City Farms
School Farms Network
Minster Vets, Southwell
Companion Veterinary Clinic, Newark