Friday 4th October was World Animal Day. The aim of World Animal Day, according to the official website, is to raise the status of animals in order to improve welfare standards around the world. Events were held all over the world in order to move global thought towards animals and how we, as humans, can help to protect animals and ensure they are treated with dignity, respect and appreciation.
Pelangi School students celebrated World Animal Day on both Thursday 3rd and Friday 4th October. On Thursday we invited our special guest, and friend of Pelangi, Mr. Ron Lilly of Ron Lilly’s Bali Snake Patrol to visit us and speak with our students and teachers. Ron has been a regular visitor to Pelangi over recent years and we always look forward to seeing him and the special guests he brings along. We were not disappointed this time either, with Ron being joined by a Tortoise, a Blue Tongue Lizard and three snakes!
Snakes are animals who are often misunderstood and, due to this, are at risk of mistreatment. Ron explained to our students that snakes do not want to bite humans; they would prefer to be left alone but sometimes when a snake feels threatened, they may act aggressively or bite in order to protect themselves. The students reflected on their comparative size compared to a snake and how they might feel if they suddenly came across a creature that much bigger than them. Ron advised the audience on what to do it you come across a snake in order to ensure that both the individual and the snake are ultimately safe. Our students were also reminded about what to do if someone is bitten by a snake or has venom spat in their eyes.
Students learned about what a snake in captivity has to be fed and were encouraged not to buy animals as pets before being really aware of what caring for specific types of animals involves. At the end of the experience, our students had learned not to be afraid of snakes but to be aware and act sensibly when encountering a snake. Snakes are to be respected and where possible kept safe from danger.
Thank you to Ron for all the work he does to improve the lives of Bali’s snakes and educate all of us how to live in harmony with snakes and other reptiles with which we share our environment.
Leading up to World Animal Day, our students had been working on pledges, in line with the global action being taken. Our students’ pledges were commitments to improving the lives of animals, whether it be their own pets, favourite animals of animals in general, through specific actions. Students pledged varied widely from taking their dog for a walk or bathing it more often; to spending more time with their cat and helping more with the care of their pets; to bigger scale commitments such as being more selective about the types of product they buy to ensure they are not supporting companies who test their products on animals, or use ingredients in products that threaten animals in some way, such as palm oil and the destruction of orangutan habitat that occurs to make way for palm oil plantations; to only eating a plant based diet.
On Friday 4th October our students shared their pledges with their friends and discussed issues relating to animals. In true Pelangi style, students also got to bring some fun to the day by dressing up as an animal or in clothing that raises awareness of the plight of animals and having the opportunity after school to purchase vegan cakes and drinks made by our senior students.
If you are interested in finding our more about World Animal Day for the future, you can visit the official website at www.worldanimalday.org.uk .
