Families urged to talk about being kind to animals

An animal charity is asking parents and carers to talk to their children about interacting with animals with kindness.

The JSPCA said several welfare incidents involving wild and domestic animals during the summer had prompted the request.

The charity's animal welfare lead adviser Tracy Millington said young people should be taught about how animals communicate and when they need space.

"A few simple conversations can help children understand an animal's boundaries, recognise signs of fear or stress and learn how to interact with animals safely and respectfully," she said.

JSPCA said it would like families to remember the message "kind hands, quiet voices, give them space".

The charity said children were naturally curious about animals and often wanted to approach, touch or play with them, but they might not understand chasing, cornering or handling an animal roughly could cause fear and distress.

Millington added: "By helping children understand animal boundaries, we're helping to keep both animals and children safe."

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