World Dog Alliance Applauds 'Saviour of Furry Children' Zhao Wanping for Introducing Bill to Include Animal Welfare in China's School Textbooks

BEIJING, May 12, 2022 (Newswire.com) - Genlin, founder of World Dog Alliance (WDA), applauds the recent publication of "Curriculum Standard for Labor Education in Compulsory Education" by the Ministry of Education of China, which marks a turning point in animal protection and education in China.

The curriculum standard specifies that students should engage in volunteer work for social organisations, such as animal shelters. This educational policy will provide children with opportunities to interact with animals, fostering a deeper appreciation for their lives and well-being. This is the first time since the founding of the People's Republic of China in 1949 that animal welfare has been incorporated into the education curriculum, and the policy is being heralded as a landmark achievement.

Zhao Wanping, vice president of the Anhui Academy of Agricultural Sciences, is a member of the National People's Congress of China. He also serves as one of the honorary ambassadors for Compassion in World Farming (CIWF) together with Mr. Stanley Johnson, the father of the British Prime Minister. In March of 2022, Representative Zhao introduced a bill to incorporate animal welfare into primary and secondary school textbooks. The bill was implemented by the Ministry of Education in just two months, demonstrating the importance of his proposal to the government.

"The relationship between humans and animals is an important foundation for a harmonious society. It is essential for young people to be nourished by emotional education and life education, and to develop the awareness and concept of animal care and respect for life, not only to love and protect animals, but also to respect life, love life and revere life," said Representative Zhao.

Representative Zhao hailed the Ministry's decision as a huge step forward. While the new policy only includes animal protection in the labor education framework, rather than in the entire compulsory education curriculum, it shows the Chinese government, especially the Ministry of Education, recognizes the benefits of teaching children the importance of treating animals kindly and having respect for all living things; these values could pose a profound impact on one's mental health and behavior. As such, it is a critically meaningful experience for students to engage in volunteer work for animal shelters.

In May of 2018, the World Dog Alliance (WDA) met Representative Zhao at the 3rd Global Animal Law Conference at the University of Hong Kong, and was impressed by his work for the welfare of farm animals in China. During the conversation, the WDA informed Representative Zhao of the cruelty and crimes committed by China's dog and cat meat industry and urged him to advocate for the welfare of companion animals as well. Representative Zhao took up the cause by introducing a bill at the 2019 National People's Congress to establish a Companion Animal Protection and Management Law to advance China's efforts to protect cats, dogs, and other companion animals. At the Chinese Congress, animal protection advocates and the general public greeted the news with cheers and applause, calling him the "saviour of furry children."

Genlin's goal is to make animal welfare a required subject for all students in China. Genlin looks forward to achieving the incorporation of "animal welfare" into the Constitution in the near future, adding the word "animal" to the existing phrase "a community with a shared future for mankind" in China's Constitution and making it an integral part of the country's development. This path is long and winding, but it is filled with light and hope.

Source: World Dog Alliance