A couple of dogs were invited to Unam Elementary School for a class designed to bring students closer to animals, which saw students hug and give nicknames to the dogs, while some listened to their heartbeats. (Image: Yonhap)
SEOUL, Jul. 5 (Korea Bizwire) — An elementary school in Gyeonggi Province held a special class on Tuesday during which students were taught the value of life by interacting with dogs under the supervision of animal experts.
A couple of dogs were invited to Unam Elementary School for a class designed to bring students closer to animals, which saw students hug and give nicknames to the dogs, while some listened to their heartbeats.
The special animal class was part of the Gyeonggi Provincial Office of Education and Osan City’s collective effort to raise awareness of animal rights and give students a better understanding of the value of the lives of animals, with the pet population in South Korea reaching 10 million.
In the hopes of preparing the future generation for pet ownership, the Gyeonggi Provincial Office of Education is set to launch a similar animal education program at nine other schools in the region with the help of private corporation Nanum Virus.
“The dogs for the special elementary school animal education program are trained not to bite people. With the trained dogs, the education program will teach students to value animal life, prevent abandonment and help improve relationships with friends,” said Myeong Jae-shin, the CEO of Nanum Virus.
An elementary school in Gyeonggi Province held a special class on Tuesday during which students were taught the value of life by interacting with dogs under the supervision of animal experts. (Image: Yonhap)
An Osan city official in charge of education also said, “As students learn to value life and nurture sensibility through interaction with pet animals, it could help them combat stress and improve relationships with family members and friends while also developing overall social skills.”
Ashley Song (ashley@koreabizwire.com)
