There are many ways to measure the success of a humane education program. One is to measure attitudes of children before and after carrying out education outreach in an area, which BIG FIX Uganda does. A more simplistic approach is to look at the artwork children create after our education team has visited their school.
When asked to draw a picture of themselves with their dogs, children are confirming that our 8 years of working in Northern Uganda’s schools has had an impact. Children are not drawing ferocious teeth-barring dogs in chains, they are reflecting that they see dogs as friends and members of the family.
This mindset has not happened overnight. While dogs have for centuries had a symbiotic relationship with Northern Uganda’s Acholi people, many people feared them, especially children. During the war, dogs guarded homes with vigor and the government military used dogs to help enforce orders.
With no veterinary services in the region, rabies and other diseases became rampant. It is not an exaggeration to say that everyone in Northern Uganda knew someone who died from rabies. Stories would quickly spread when children were attacked by rabid dogs while walking to school, while in school, while sleeping at their homes, or while carrying Jerry cans of water. Without understanding the science of the deadly rabies virus, it was easy to conclude that dogs at times could be possessed by evil spirits.
Now, these misperceptions have largely been corrected, thanks to 8 years of BIG FIX providing rabies education, a twice monthly hour-long radio broadcast, more than 400 village veterinary clinics, and over 170 school visits.
Another key factor, says Comfort Dog Project’s official advisor, Meg Olmert, was BIG FIX’s introduction of dog washing. Before BIG FIX, some people may have respected and valued their dogs as protectors, but they rarely touched them. A dog with mange, or covered in fleas and ticks, doesn’t bring to mind the idea of petting or holding that dog. But when guardians saw their dogs transform into healthier, clean dogs, they started touching them more.
As Meg’s decades of research, documented in her book “Made for Each Other: The Biology of the Human-Animal Bond” confirms, touching an animal in an affectionate way causes a release of oxytocin, similar to holding a baby. It makes us feel better. And that helps to build a bond with the animal which will have countless mutual benefits.
Our Comfort Dog Project graduates have modeled in their communities that dogs understand us, that there is tremendous emotional benefit to developing bonds with dogs, and that our dogs deserve to have the devotion and love they so freely give be returned to them.
How did we do?
Have a look at these pieces of artwork below and “draw” your own conclusion.
When asked to draw a picture of themselves with their dogs, children are confirming that our 8 years of working in Northern Uganda’s schools has had an impact. Children are not drawing ferocious teeth-barring dogs in chains, they are reflecting that they see dogs as friends and members of the family.
This mindset has not happened overnight. While dogs have for centuries had a symbiotic relationship with Northern Uganda’s Acholi people, many people feared them, especially children. During the war, dogs guarded homes with vigor and the government military used dogs to help enforce orders.
With no veterinary services in the region, rabies and other diseases became rampant. It is not an exaggeration to say that everyone in Northern Uganda knew someone who died from rabies. Stories would quickly spread when children were attacked by rabid dogs while walking to school, while in school, while sleeping at their homes, or while carrying Jerry cans of water. Without understanding the science of the deadly rabies virus, it was easy to conclude that dogs at times could be possessed by evil spirits.
Now, these misperceptions have largely been corrected, thanks to 8 years of BIG FIX providing rabies education, a twice monthly hour-long radio broadcast, more than 400 village veterinary clinics, and over 170 school visits.
Another key factor, says Comfort Dog Project’s official advisor, Meg Olmert, was BIG FIX’s introduction of dog washing. Before BIG FIX, some people may have respected and valued their dogs as protectors, but they rarely touched them. A dog with mange, or covered in fleas and ticks, doesn’t bring to mind the idea of petting or holding that dog. But when guardians saw their dogs transform into healthier, clean dogs, they started touching them more.
As Meg’s decades of research, documented in her book “Made for Each Other: The Biology of the Human-Animal Bond” confirms, touching an animal in an affectionate way causes a release of oxytocin, similar to holding a baby. It makes us feel better. And that helps to build a bond with the animal which will have countless mutual benefits.
Our Comfort Dog Project graduates have modeled in their communities that dogs understand us, that there is tremendous emotional benefit to developing bonds with dogs, and that our dogs deserve to have the devotion and love they so freely give be returned to them.
How did we do?
Have a look at these pieces of artwork below and “draw” your own conclusion.