Annual Report 2000 - Australian Veterinary Association

AVA Activities - Pets and People Education Program (PetPEP)BackgroundPetPEP, the Pets and People Education Program, began in Western Australia in 1991.Dr Diane Hopkins secured funding from Petcare Information and Advisory Service (PIAS)to write the original program. Subsequently, AVA divisions including South Australia andVictoria funded an initial launch.In 1995, Queensland Division secured funding from the Departmentof Primary Industries to employ an education officer part-time.In April 1999, AVA National decided to use PetPEP as the AVA’sCommunity Relations Program. Seven corporate and donorsponsors, including Queensland’s DPI, Petcare Information AdvisoryService Australia, ASAVA, Fort Dodge Australia, Bayer Animal Healthand ACE Pet Protection Insurance funded the cost of rewriting theprogram.Sponsorship from veterinarians was sought to fund a nationalcoordinator part-time and contribute to ongoing running costs.About 160 vets contributed $50,000 to the campaign in 1999 onthree scales, ranging from $150 to $1000. The idea was tocontribute on an annual basis.The programThe revised version of the program was published in October 1999.It has a strong literacy and numeracy focus and introduces newtopics on dog bites, farm animals and animal behaviour. The revisedprogram also links with the PetPEP website, enabling futureexpansion and updating of information.PetPEP is designed to be taught in the classroom. While it will standalone as a teacher resource, individual practices using PetPEP as acommunity relations tool need coordination and networking.National Coordinator responsibilities■ Facilitate links between veterinarians and schools■ Provide support to contributors■ Coordinate promotional activities to schools and veterinarians■ Maintain communications with community networks■ Maintain communications with education and animalwelfare departments■ Maintain communications with sponsors■ Organise media campaigns in each state during Pet WeekQueensland education officer duties■ In-service training for teachers■ Training workshops for veterinarians and nurses■ Promotions targeting State, private and Catholic schools(pet expos, newsletters, telephone calls, letter and flyers)■ Promotion to veterinarians (conferences, newsletters, telephonecalls, letters)■■■■■Administration dutiesOrganising resourcesLiaison with local and State Government departmentsLiaison with community animal welfare groupsPet Week promotion and activitiesLinking schools with vetsUp until 1999, Queensland was the only proactive Division usingPetPEP. About 100 veterinarians contributed $200 each toparticipate and 30 veterinarians contributed to the National PetPEPProgram. There were 680 schools involved, 248 attached to a clinic.No statistics are available from other States.A part-time National Coordinator was employed in April 1999.Queensland Division employed the education officer one day aweek. In January 2000, Queensland Division appointed TanyaPullen education officer for two days a week.Veterinarians registered with the program expect one-on-onesupport. In fact, they would prefer a coordinator to run the entireprogram.A great deal of work is required to create links for PetPET. It involvesgiving veterinarians a brief overview of how the program works,obtaining lists of schools and community networks, phoning schoolprincipals and providing an overview of the program. Then comescontacting community speakers, negotiating sessions for students(according to their level) and topics and lesson plans to be prepared(mostly from the veterinarian resource kit). Media promotion isrequired and obtaining feedback is critical.Communication with veterinarians and nursesTraining workshops and communication via AVJ, AVAOnline, phone,fax, email, mailouts and newsletters are also required.The workshops focus on instructional skills for teaching primaryschoolchildren. Ideas are also discussed about promotion of PetPETwithin schools. A calendar of events evolves from these discussionsfor the school term.A workshop was conducted in most States in August 1999 and anotherat the AVA Annual Conference in Perth in 2000.PetPET is promoted to schools through brochures, advertising in teacherpublications, in-servicing principals and via Pet Week activities.2000 Annual Report - Australian Veterinary Association 37