Children's attitudes towards pets and stray animals at the Grammar Junior School

CLASS 6B

2The Grammar Junior School

IntroductionIntroduction

We were interested about We were interested about children’s attitudes towards pets children’s attitudes towards pets and stray animals. We wanted to and stray animals. We wanted to know how many children have know how many children have pets and who takes care of their pets and who takes care of their pets. We also wanted to find out pets. We also wanted to find out their favourite pets. Our their favourite pets. Our research question was, “How do research question was, “How do children behave towards pets?” children behave towards pets?” We were hoping to find out that We were hoping to find out that children are kind to their pets children are kind to their pets and that they take care of them.and that they take care of them.


MethodologyMethodology We wanted to find out the attitudes of We wanted to find out the attitudes of

children towards pets and stray animals. children towards pets and stray animals. We started by discussing the title of our We started by discussing the title of our project and every Friday we would talk about project and every Friday we would talk about different ways of writing questionnaires. In different ways of writing questionnaires. In our final questionnaire we have some our final questionnaire we have some questions that you can answer with yes or questions that you can answer with yes or no. Most of the time you can answer with no. Most of the time you can answer with strongly agree, agree, neither agree nor strongly agree, agree, neither agree nor disagree, or disagree, or strongly disagree. disagree, or disagree, or strongly disagree. Sometimes there are other choices . We Sometimes there are other choices . We gave Classes 5 and 6 our questionnaire. If gave Classes 5 and 6 our questionnaire. If they didn’t know some of the words they they didn’t know some of the words they were allowed to ask. We told them not to were allowed to ask. We told them not to write their names. 83 children completed write their names. 83 children completed the questionnaire. the questionnaire.

We collected the questionnaires and as a We collected the questionnaires and as a class got into smaller groups to add up all class got into smaller groups to add up all the answers. Our computer supervisor the answers. Our computer supervisor helped us to turn the results into graphs.helped us to turn the results into graphs.

We also interviewed a few children from the We also interviewed a few children from the two classes.two classes.



Question 1: What is your favourite Question 1: What is your favourite pet?pet?

0

2

4

6

8

10

12

14

16

18

20

Number of Students

5A 5B 6A 6B

Class

Question 1

Dog

Cat

Rabbit

Bird

Fish

Horse

Snake

Squirel


Question 2: Do you have a pet ?Question 2: Do you have a pet ?

0

2

4

6

8

10

12

14

16

18

20

Number of Students

5A 5B 6A 6B

Class

Question 2

Yes

No


Question 3: If you have a pet who Question 3: If you have a pet who looks after it?looks after it?

0

2

4

6

8

10

12

14

16

18

20

Number of Students

5A 5B 6A 6B

Class

Question 3

You

Your parent

Other family member

Someone else


Question 4: We must treat animals Question 4: We must treat animals kindly.kindly.

0 5 10 15 20 25

Number of Students

5A

5B

6A

6B

Cla

ss

Question 4

Strongly Disagree

Disagree

Neither Agree or disagree

Agree

Strongly agree


Question 5: We must help injured Question 5: We must help injured animals.animals.

0 2 4 6 8 10 12 14 16 18 20

Number of Students

5A

5B

6A

6B

Cla

ss

Question 5

Strongly Disagree

Disagree


Agree

Strongly agree


Question 6: : Dogs should be Question 6: : Dogs should be allowed to roam (go around) the allowed to roam (go around) the

streets alone.streets alone.

0 2 4 6 8 10 12 14

Number of Students

5A

5B

6A

6B

Cla

ss

Question 6

Strongly Disagree

Disagree


Agree

Strongly agree


Question 7: : Dogs that bark are Question 7: : Dogs that bark are annoying. annoying.

0

2

4

6

8

10

12

Number of Students

5A 5B 6A 6B

Class

Question 7

Strongly agree

Agree


Disagree

Strongly Disagree


Question 8: Question 8: Animals should have Animals should have rights.rights.

0

2

4

6

8

10

12

14

16

18

Number of Students

5A 5B 6A 6B

Class

Question 8

Strongly agree

Agree


Disagree

Strongly Disagree


Question 9: It is wrong to be cruel Question 9: It is wrong to be cruel to an animal.to an animal.

0

2

4

6

8

10

12

14

16

18

20

Number of Students

5A 5B 6A 6B

Class

Question 9

Strongly agree

Agree


Disagree

Strongly Disagree


Question 10: Pets should be kept Question 10: Pets should be kept inside instead of being left inside instead of being left

outside.outside.

0

1

2

3

4

5

6

7

8

Number of Students

5A 5B 6A 6B

Class

Question 10

Strongly agree

Agree


Disagree

Strongly Disagree


Question 11: I think running over Question 11: I think running over animals is cruel.animals is cruel.

0

2

4

6

8

10

12

14

16

18

20

Number of Students

5A 5B 6A 6B

Class

Question 11

Strongly agree

Agree


Disagree

Strongly Disagree


Question 12: Dogs should not be Question 12: Dogs should not be allowed to ‘do their business’ or dirty allowed to ‘do their business’ or dirty

the streets or pavements.the streets or pavements.

0

2

4

6

8

10

12

14

Number of Students

5A 5B 6A 6B

Class

Question 12

Strongly agree

Agree


Disagree

Strongly Disagree


Question 13: If you have a dog, do Question 13: If you have a dog, do you keep it tied on a chain? you keep it tied on a chain?

0 2 4 6 8 10 12 14 16

Number of Students

5A

5B

6A

6B

Cla

ss

Question 13

NO

YES


Most children’s favourite pet is a dog. Most children from Classes 5 Most children’s favourite pet is a dog. Most children from Classes 5 and 6 have pets and they look after the pets themselves. We found out and 6 have pets and they look after the pets themselves. We found out that most of them strongly agree that animals should be treated kindly, that most of them strongly agree that animals should be treated kindly, that we must help injured animals, that it is wrong to be cruel to an that we must help injured animals, that it is wrong to be cruel to an animal and that animals should have rights. The majority of children animal and that animals should have rights. The majority of children said that dogs should not be allowed to roam in the streets alone. We said that dogs should not be allowed to roam in the streets alone. We were surprised to find out that children don’t seem to find barking were surprised to find out that children don’t seem to find barking annoying. The opinions on whether pets should be kept inside or annoying. The opinions on whether pets should be kept inside or outside were mixed which shows that they all have different opinions. outside were mixed which shows that they all have different opinions. Almost everyone thought that it is cruel to run over an animal with a Almost everyone thought that it is cruel to run over an animal with a car. When the children were asked about animals ‘dirtying’ the car. When the children were asked about animals ‘dirtying’ the pavements we found out that most children neither agreed or disagreed pavements we found out that most children neither agreed or disagreed with this statement. Our findings show that most children do not keep with this statement. Our findings show that most children do not keep their dogs tied on a chain.their dogs tied on a chain.

Our interviews showed very similar findings. Here we found out more Our interviews showed very similar findings. Here we found out more about how children feel about animals. They feel very sad when a pet about how children feel about animals. They feel very sad when a pet of theirs dies and believe that they should bury it. Since most children of theirs dies and believe that they should bury it. Since most children in the questionnaire answered that we should help injured animals we in the questionnaire answered that we should help injured animals we wanted to find out how they would do that. In our interviews we found wanted to find out how they would do that. In our interviews we found that most would take the injured animal to a vet. Children also feel that most would take the injured animal to a vet. Children also feel that animals should not be left in the roads when they are run over but that animals should not be left in the roads when they are run over but that the municipality should move them. Finally, through our that the municipality should move them. Finally, through our interviews we found out that most children who do not have a pet, don’t interviews we found out that most children who do not have a pet, don’t have one because their parents don’t allow them.have one because their parents don’t allow them.


DiscussionDiscussion

Most of the data we collected did not Most of the data we collected did not surprise us and turned out as we predicted. surprise us and turned out as we predicted. Children are kind to animals, they like Children are kind to animals, they like animals and like to look after them. In animals and like to look after them. In addition, it seems children don’t mind when addition, it seems children don’t mind when dogs bark but also that they don’t have a dogs bark but also that they don’t have a definite opinion about dogs dirtying the definite opinion about dogs dirtying the pavements.pavements.


Conclusion Conclusion

Although our project was small and our findings were Although our project was small and our findings were similar to our predictions we learnt a lot about the process similar to our predictions we learnt a lot about the process of research and the possibilities it can give us. It was of research and the possibilities it can give us. It was interesting to find out how children behave towards pets interesting to find out how children behave towards pets and stray animals and that mostly they are kind and that and stray animals and that mostly they are kind and that they like animals.they like animals.

If we could do this project again we would change some If we could do this project again we would change some things. First of all we found out that some of our things. First of all we found out that some of our questions in the questionnaire were not clear or straight questions in the questionnaire were not clear or straight forward and some children could not answer them with forward and some children could not answer them with just one choice. We also found out that interviews need a just one choice. We also found out that interviews need a lot of time, not only in carrying out the interviews but also lot of time, not only in carrying out the interviews but also in transcribing and analyzing. We would give this more in transcribing and analyzing. We would give this more time . It would also be nice to find out what the younger time . It would also be nice to find out what the younger children in our school think.children in our school think.


ReferencesReferences

Kellet, M (2005) How to Develop Children Kellet, M (2005) How to Develop Children as Researchersas Researchers

Sage Publications Company.Sage Publications Company.

http:// childrens-research-centre.open.ac.ukhttp:// childrens-research-centre.open.ac.uk


AppendixAppendix

Interview:Interview: Children’s attitudes towards pets and stray Children’s attitudes towards pets and stray animals at the Grammar Junior School.animals at the Grammar Junior School.

1.1. What do you like most about your pet?What do you like most about your pet?

2.2. Where do you think people should keep their pets? Where do you think people should keep their pets? In the house? Outside the house? Why?In the house? Outside the house? Why?

3.3. Do you have a pet? How do you feel when a pet of yours Do you have a pet? How do you feel when a pet of yours dies?dies?

4.4. What do you do with your pet when it dies?What do you do with your pet when it dies?

5.5. If you don’t have a pet, why don’t you have one?If you don’t have a pet, why don’t you have one?

6.6. Should we feed stray animals? Explain your answer.Should we feed stray animals? Explain your answer.

7.7. What do you think is the best way to help an injured What do you think is the best way to help an injured animal?animal?

8.8. What should be done when an animal is run over?What should be done when an animal is run over?


AppendixAppendix

Byron & Stevie

Rolandos & Eric

Marcos & JessicaNicolas & Adamos

Sample Interviews:


Our interviewsOur interviews


Gathering dataGathering data


Documents

Children's attitudes towards pets and stray animals at the Grammar Junior School