DOI: 10.11118/978-80-7701-042-9-0072

DEVELOPING EDUCATIONAL TOOLS FOR THE PREVENTION OF CHILDHOOD ANIMAL CRUELTY: A CRIMINOLOGICAL AND PEDAGOGICAL APPROACH

Hedvig Dóra Koska¹, Szilvia Vetter², Csaba Bálint Illés¹

¹ John von Neumann University, Doctoral School of Management and Business Administration, Budapest, Hungary

² University of Veterinary Medicine Budapest, Centre for Animal Welfare, Budapest, Hungary

There is a strong demand for structured, adaptable educational tools addressing childhood animal cruelty. The innovative result of the paper is a so called TeSzeresd! program, based on teachers‘ responses. The program was created in response to identified gaps and needs. Its primary goal is to help educators recognize early signs of abusive or violent behaviour toward animals in children. Teachers will learn how to respond accordingly. It’s essential for teachers to receive precise tools on how to handle suspected animal abuse cases. Preventive methods will also be provided. These methods aim to develop children’s empathy, emotional intelligence, and sense of responsibility. The program focuses on early detection and suitable action. It equips teachers with necessary knowledge for intervention. Overall, it aims to improve child development in emotional and ethical areas.

Keywords: educational innovation, childhood animal cruelty prevention, product development, animal welfare education

pages: 72-73, online: 2025