Lesson plan
Caring for our pets
COUNTRY: England
CURRICULUM SUBJECT
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Communication and language
KEY STAGE: EYFS
AREA OF FOCUS
Pets
Expressive arts and design
Literacy
Physical development
Personal, social and emotional development
Understanding the world
This set of activities aims to make children aware of pets as living animals with needs and
feelings. They learn that pets should be handled carefully and only when it is appropriate to
do so. They should learn that owners have a responsibility to meet the needs of their pets
and to keep them happy and healthy.
Expectations
After covering this theme:
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most pupils will: understand that humans have a responsibility towards animals that
they keep and that pets have basic needs, which must be met by their owners
some pupils have not made so much progress and will: understand that pet animals
are living creatures with feelings and that we must not harm them
some pupils will have progressed further and will: understand that humans have a
responsibility towards animals that they keep and that pets have basic needs which
must be met by their owners. They will be able to describe those basic needs.
Initial teacher input
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Ask the children which of them have a pet at their house. Those that do should
describe their pet and what they have to do to look after him/her to the person sitting
next to them. Ask some of the children who have done some good listening to
describe what their partner told them about their pet.
Using the five welfare needs symbols (see factsheet Animals’ needs), establish with
the children what are the five basic needs of pet animals. Explain that anyone who
looks after animals must make sure that they have all of these things all of the time.
RSPCA LESSON PLAN created January 2014
We have created this document for use by teachers in England and Wales for the purpose of incorporating animal
welfare into their curriculum. All details are correct at the time of creation. The RSPCA accepts no responsibility
for any changes made to the content, appearance, or layout of the original document by third parties and any such
changes made at the risk of affecting the validity of the document. If you choose to circulate or promote all or part
of this document please credit the RSPCA accordingly
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Adult-led activities
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Using a toy animal, children learn how to pick up or handle it correctly so that neither
they nor the animal gets scared or hurt. The adult stresses how important it is to only
touch or pick up an animal if its adult owner says that it is alright to do so. They learn
how to stroke the animal on its side and stroke the same way that the fur grows so
the animal doesn’t feel uncomfortable. They learn that they must be gentle so that
they don’t hurt the animal. They learn that they must not drop any small animals that
they pick up. They learn that they should not stare directly into a dog’s face. Using an
appropriate brush, children groom the animal, taking care to only brush the same
way that the fur grows. Children learn that some pets need to be groomed regularly
to keep their fur clean and healthy.
Play the memory game like the shopping game. Using a toy cat, the children take it in
turns to hold the cat and add to the list of what they need to do to look after it. For
example, the first child says: “I have got a cat and I need to… give him/her cat food
every day.” The second child takes the cat and says: “I have got a cat and I need to
… give him/her cat food every day and make sure he/she has clean water all the
time.” Continue until the children have met all the needs of the cat (see teachers’
notes Pets’ needs).
Storytelling: Story sack including the activity sheets Smoky’s new home and Smoky's
new home - Images (see Downloads tab), toy rabbits, an RSPCA inspector’s hat and
a ‘reserved’ sign. Initially adult-led, but then becoming more child-initiated, a small
group of children listen to and then retell the story of Smoky, using the props
provided.
An adult takes a ‘phone call’ about a pet that is not being looked after properly (for
suggestions see teachers’ notes Animals in need). He/she invites a group of children
to put on their RSPCA hats and accompany them to where the animal lives, where
they find a toy animal. The children give suggestions as to what aspects of the pet’s
care are lacking. They make notes for the owner about what needs to be done to
improve the situation. They can then return later to check for an improvement, using
the animals’ needs logos.
Sing the song My dog Ben (see activity sheet).
Opportunities for child-initiated activities
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Put out a selection of pet care items (see teachers’ notes Pet care items), pet photos
(see collection of images Pets) and some sorting rings. Children can either sort the
items according to which pet they are for, or according to their own criteria, or can
just name or explore the items.
Establish a veterinary or animal welfare clinic as a role-play area. Include some toy
animals, toy syringes, stethoscope, bandages, empty bottles and packets from
veterinary medicines, an area for keeping animals that need to stay in, a waiting
area, etc (see teachers’ notes Vet clinic role play area for a suggested layout).
Teachers will need to introduce the children to what happens in a veterinary surgery.
See the video clip from Animals and us interactive resource (select Animals’ needs /
Caring for sick and injured animals / RSPCA vet). Stress that the medicines given to
animals are special and animals should never be given medicine that is meant for
humans.
Independently role-play the work of an RSPCA inspector. Using toy animals and a
notebook, the inspector goes to visit people who they have heard are not looking
after their pets properly. They give advice about what the pets need in order to be
happy and healthy.
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Take the toy dog out for a walk on its lead around the outside area to make sure it
has some exercise. Make sure that the dog is wearing a tag with its owner’s name
and address. Be sure to take a bag to pick up after the dog if it goes to the toilet!
Train the dog to ‘sit’ and ‘stay’, praising it when it does.
Using construction kits, design and build a home for a hamster that is going to be
safe and yet interesting enough to keep the hamster occupied. For more information
see Useful websites section.
One of the toy pets can be taken home overnight in turn by the children. Each child
can ask an adult at home to help them to record what jobs they did to care for the pet
during its time with them.
Story-telling – children can record themselves telling the story Smoky’s new home for
other children to listen to.
Extend the topic out of school by taking the children to visit a supermarket or an
animal welfare establishment that you believe demonstrates good practice, to see the
variety of pet care-related items on display.
Arrange a photographic pet show. Ask the children to bring in a photo of either their
own pet or a pet that they know and describe him/her to the rest of the class. These
could then form part of a display (N.B. the RSPCA strongly discourages bringing live
pets into school where their safety and welfare cannot be guaranteed at all times –
see our Education and animals guidance for more information.)
Watch the videos in the Useful websites section. Ask the pupils to suggest some of
the things they have learnt about what pets need.
Did you know?
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Chocolate made for humans can be poisonous to dogs. Dogs should never be fed
human chocolate.
Onions can be poisonous to cats.
Cats and dogs can typically live for 14 to 15 years and rabbits between 8 and 12
years.
Rabbits are naturally sociable animals and normally prefer to be with another rabbit
for company.
Cats are attracted by the taste of anti-freeze, but ingesting even a tiny amount can be
fatal for them. Keep anti-freeze away from all animals and clear up even the smallest
spill immediately.
A rabbit’s top front teeth grow continually at a rate of 3mm a week. Eating lots of hay
and grass helps the rabbit to keep these down to a manageable size.
Dogs need particular food to keep them healthy – most human meals will not provide
dogs with the nutrition they need.
An individual dog’s dietary needs depend on its age, lifestyle and its state of health.
As a result of the Animal Welfare Act 2006, management and staff at educational
establishments now have a legal ‘duty of care’ to ensure that proper provision is
made for the welfare needs of any vertebrate animal for which they are responsible.
This applies not only during term time but also during the holidays.
Vocabulary
cat
dog
groom
guinea pig
hamster
healthy
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needs
rabbit
responsibility
welfare
Useful websites
Baby Animals Image pack
RSPCA - All about animals
Cats Protection
Dogs Trust
Video - What do pets need?
The Blue Dog - safe relationships between children and dogs
RSPCA hamster environment advice
RSPCA advice on bedding for rodents
RSPCA video library
Video - Happy bunnies
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Teachers’ Notes – Pet care items
The following are suggestions for items that could be used in the sorting activity. It is not an
exhaustive list, teachers may prefer to introduce other items or to just select a few of these. For
older children, teachers could introduce ‘red herrings’ – i.e. things that are not for pets at all!
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Cat litter tray
Tin of dog food
Hamster drinking bottle
Hamster bedding
Dog collar and lead
Cat toy
Hamster food bowl
Cat food and drink bowl
Dog food and drinking bowls
Poop scoop
Dog toy
Flea protection for dog or cat
Hamster exercise wheel (for more information see:
www.rspca.org.uk/allaboutanimals/pets/rodents/hamsters/behaviour)
Dog chew
Cat food
Hamster food
Hamster toy, e.g. tube
Packet from worming tablets
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Teachers’ Notes – Pets’ Needs
Cats’ needs
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A comfortable bed
A place to hide
Somewhere to go to the toilet
Food
Clean, fresh water all the time
A scratching post
To go to the vet
To be groomed
Exercise in or out of the house
To be wormed regularly
To be protected from fleas.
Dogs’ needs
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A comfortable bed
Food
Clean, fresh water all the time
Exercise at least once every day
To be protected from fleas
To be wormed regularly
To be trained
Enough space
A collar with its owner’s name and address on it
To be groomed
To go to the vet
Safe toys to play with
Company.
Hamsters’ needs
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A comfortable, dry cage, regularly cleaned
Bedding material
Nesting material
Clean, fresh water at all times in a drinking bottle
Food
To be able to sleep undisturbed
Opportunity to exercise
Most hamsters need to be kept apart from other hamsters (see RSPCA guidance).
Something to gnaw on
To go to the vet if they are ill
To be groomed (long-haired hamsters only).
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Teachers’ Notes – Animals in need
Here are some suggested situations of animals in need for the phone call activity.
A goldfish is being kept in a small bowl with dirty water and no plants
A plastic toy fish can be used in a clear bowl of water. A small amount of paint or food colouring
could be used to pretend that the water is dirty. The fact that the fish is in a bowl means that it
will be very difficult to maintain a high enough level of oxygenation (this will be exacerbated by
a lack of plants), water quality and temperature, which are all very important for a fish to
remain alive and healthy. Goldfish should also be kept in small groups of five or six rather than
by themselves. The inspector would probably give advice to the owner about what he/she
needed to do and then would go back to visit some days later to check the advice had been
followed. See our advice pages about keeping goldfish in bowls.
A cat is stuck in a tree because its collar is caught on a branch
A toy cat can be used, wearing a buckle-fastening collar, which often cause problems for cats.
The RSPCA recommends that if cats wear a collar it should be the quick-release type. The
inspector would rescue the cat, with the help of others if necessary, and then would give the
owner some advice about putting a quick release collar on the cat. See our advice about cats
and collars.
A dog has been left alone in the house while its owners are on holiday
A toy dog can be left in the home role-play area, with a postcard saying “Dear Fido. We are
having a lovely time. Hope you are OK. Help yourself to food when you get hungry. Back in two
weeks.” Abandoning an animal with no one to look after it is against the law and the owner
could be prosecuted.
A pet bird is in a cage so small that it can’t stretch its wings
If a toy bird in a small cage cannot be found, then the picture of the bird in the cage could be
enlarged and displayed (see activity sheet Bird in a cage). A caged bird needs to be able to
stretch its wings in all directions when in its cage. The inspector would need to give the owner
some advice about what needed to be done. See our advice on caring for birds and then would
go back to visit some days later to check the advice had been followed.
A rabbit is in a small hutch on its own with no food or water
A toy rabbit could be placed in a make-believe hutch made from a cardboard box. The inspector
would need to check the rabbit over to see if the rabbit was healthy. If the rabbit was not in
immediate danger then he/she would give the owner some advice about what needed to be
done. See our advice on caring for rabbits and then would go back to visit some days later to
check the advice had been followed.
A dog is left in a car on a warm day
A toy dog can be put into a sit-on play car and left outside in the direct sun. This would cause a
dog to suffer and could be fatal. If the owner could not be found quickly, the police would need
to assist the inspector by gaining access to the car. See the RSPCA advice on dogs in cars.
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Teachers’ Notes – Vet clinic role play area
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Fact sheet – Animals’ needs
Freedom from hunger and thirst
Animals should have access to fresh water all the time and the right type and
amount of food to keep them fit.
Freedom from discomfort
Animals should have the right type of home, including shelter and somewhere
comfortable to rest.
Freedom from pain, injury and disease
Animals should always be fit and well and should be treated by a vet if they are
sick or injured.
Freedom to express normal behaviour
Animals should have enough space, proper facilities and the company of other
animals of their own kind.
Freedom from fear and distress
By making sure the animals’ conditions and treatment avoid mental suffering.
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Activity sheet – My dog Ben
(sung to the tune of This Old Man)
My dog, Ben, he has fun. He likes to go for walks and run.
(Action: walking / running)
Happy, healthy he must be. I love him and he loves me.
My dog, Ben, he is fit. I teach him to ‘stay’ and ‘sit’.
(Action: stop and sit down)
Happy, healthy he must be. I love him and he loves me.
My dog, Ben, he needs space. And room to play and run and race.
(Action: stretch arms to show space)
Happy, healthy he must be. I love him and he loves me.
My dog, Ben, needs to eat – food that’s made for dogs, not me.
(Action: eating food)
Happy, healthy he must be. I love him and he loves me.
My dog, Ben, needs to drink. Water is his favourite thing.
(Action: holding bowl of water)
Happy, healthy he must be. I love him and he loves me.
My dog, Ben, if he’s sick, to the vet’s we take a trip.
(Action: hold up ‘paw’)
Happy, healthy he must be. I love him and he loves me.
My dog, Ben, needs a home where he’s not left too long on his own
(Action: make a roof over head using arms)
Happy, healthy he must be. I love him and he loves me.
It’s my job, yes indeed, to give Ben everything he needs.
Happy, healthy, Ben will be. I love him and he loves me.
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Activity sheet – Bird in a cage
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Activity sheet – Smoky’s new home
Smoky was a lovely soft grey and white rabbit with a twitchy nose and a fluffy tail. Smoky lived with his
owners, but he wasn’t very happy. He lived in the same boring hutch every day – he never got to run
outside and there was nothing to do! Smoky was lonely with no other rabbits to play with – he was on
his own all day.
When he had first come to live with his owners, they had looked after him and played with him every
day. But as time went on they came to see him less and less. Some days his water got dirty and no one
brought him his favourite food – hay. Some weeks no one cleaned out his hutch and it got very dirty and
smelly. Living like this, Smoky was unhappy and soon began to feel ill.
One of the neighbours called the RSPCA because they were worried about Smoky. An RSPCA inspector
came to see him. He saw that Smoky was unhappy and was not feeling very well because he hadn’t been
looked after properly. The inspector took Smoky away to an RSPCA animal centre.
Soon after he arrived at the centre, Smoky went to see a kind vet who checked him over very carefully.
Smoky was given special injections to stop him from getting ill. Later, he also went to the vets to have a
special operation, called neutering, to make sure he couldn’t help to make baby rabbits.
When Smoky was feeling better, he was taken outside and put in a big enclosure with a large shelter in it
– it was all much bigger and more interesting than his old hutch. There were places to hide when he
wanted to feel safe and toys to play with too and the run was tall enough for Smoky to be able to stand
up on his back legs whenever he wanted to. He could either go inside to a place filled with soft hay
where he could sleep, or outside into the sunshine.
There was plenty of hay and some fresh green things to eat and lots of clean water to drink. And, best of
all, there was another rabbit, called Molly, who he was slowly introduced to and who he became friends
with.
The animal care assistants at the RSPCA animal centre love looking after animals. They want every
animal they look after to find a good home with people who will give them all the things that they need.
Lots of people came to the centre looking for pets, but when they saw how much space Smoky and
Molly needed and how much time they were going to have to spend looking after them, they went away
again.
One day, a woman came with her teenage daughter, Jo. They looked at the space where Molly and
Smoky lived. They listened very carefully to the animal care assistant who explained how Molly and
Smoky needed to be looked after. The family went away but the animal care assistant put a special sign
outside the enclosure where Smoky and Molly lived. The sign said: ‘reserved’.
An RSPCA home visitor went to visit the family in their home and talked to them about how they should
look after Smoky and Molly. Jo agreed that she would help her mum to look after the animals every day.
The family got a large enclosure for Smoky and Molly to play in. It had hiding places, somewhere to
shelter when it was sunny or cold and lots of toys and good things to eat!
Smoky and Molly loved their new home. They were looked after very carefully. Jo helped to look after
them every day – feeding them, stroking/grooming them, cleaning their home, giving them toys to play
with and making sure they had fresh water. They were very happy, healthy rabbits.
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Activity sheet – Smoky’s new home - Images
Smoky’s old home
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Smoky’s worried neighbour
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The RSPCA inspector
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Smoky with the vet
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Smoky at the animal centre with his new friend, Molly
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Jo and her mum meet Smoky
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Jo and her mum listening to the animal care assistant
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Smoky and Molly in their play area in their new home
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