1. Learning from People in the Past
Share:
Introduce the session and PDSA.
Tell children that PDSA treat the sick and injured pets of people in need...
Explain that PDSA is a special kind of vets, because they’re a charity. Discuss what a charity is and explain that PDSA looks after pets when owners can’t afford vet treatment.
Ask:
If they think it’s important to help sick and injured animals to get better?
What would happen to all the sick and injured pets PDSA treat if they weren’t around? .
Tell them that today, you’re all going to learn about what pets need to be healthy and happy and also about some of the pets that PDSA has helped in their Pet Hospitals.
Learning from People in the Past

2. The most popular toy in 1917: The most popular toy in 2017:
In 2017 the most popular toy was the Hatchimal.
Ask the pupils what they think the most popular toy was in 1917
In 1917 the most popular children’s toy was the old faithful teddy bear
Travel back in time to 1917…

3. Entertainment Travel back in time to 1917…
Explain that today, in the UK, only 3 people in every hundred don’t have a TV in their home.
Ask the pupils what they think people did for entertainment in 1917.
TV wasn’t even invented 100 years ago, so people had to watch films at the cinema or listen to the radio for entertainment
Travel back in time to 1917…

4. Keeping in touch… Travel back in time to 1917…
Explain that today, 4 out of every five people not only have a phone, but have a mobile phone which they can carry with them everywhere they go!
Ask the pupils what they think people did to communicate in 1917.
Only 2 out of every 100 people had a telephone and you could only get a landline!
The image on the slide shows Winkie, a carrier pigeon who saved the lives of a plane crew when they crashed into the sea. Winkie flew over 200 miles to deliver a message and get the rescue team deployed.
Travel back in time to 1917…

5. Getting around… Travel back in time to 1917…
Explain that today, in the UK, we have one car for every two people!
Ask the pupils what they think people travelled in 1917.
Although people could buy cars in 1917, most people couldn’t afford one. People got to places either by horse-drawn cart, bicycle or on foot
Travel back in time to 1917…

6. I can recount the basic history of PDSA.
Learning Objectives
I will learn about Maria Dickin and the work of PDSA, from 1917 to the
present day.
I will learn about what happened to pets 100 years ago.
Learning Outcomes P
I can recount the basic history of PDSA.
I can use examples to describe the differences between today and 1917.
I can write a story about Maria Dickin and pets in the First World War.

7. What important historical event was happening in 1917?
World War I lasted from
Ask the pupils what they think happened to people’s pets during this time.
World War I

8. Maria Dickin CBE
PDSA was founded by an inspirational lady, Maria Dickin, in When her own dog was poorly, she was distressed by her dog’s pain, but felt lucky that she could take it to the vet to be treated when others couldn’t afford to.
Maria did social work in London’s East End and was horrified by the poverty she witnessed, but it was the sight of animals suffering in silence that she found unbearable. Because of what she saw, she opened a clinic in London on 17th November 1917 where people could bring their sick animals for free veterinary treatment.
The clinic proved to be so popular that police were needed to control the crowds of people turning up for free treatment!

9. The clinic was so badly needed that it was an immediate success, and within four years PDSA had 7 clinics across London, seeing over 40,000 animals a year. At a time when women weren’t allowed to be vets or to become members of the Royal College of Veterinary Surgeons, Maria faced a lot of opposition to her work. People couldn’t believe that a woman could take it upon herself to open a veterinary clinic! Maria carried on regardless, in the face of much criticism.

10. Maria didn’t only want to treat sick animals and educate people in London, she wanted the service to be available all over the UK. She soon came up with the idea of ‘mobile dispensaries’, horse-drawn caravans that toured the country. This meant that PDSA could help lots more animals and help a lot more people learn about how to care for their animals properly.

11. It wasn’t just Maria who helped during the war either
It wasn’t just Maria who helped during the war either. We’d like to introduce you to a couple of our medal recipients who showed heroism and bravery during this time.
Rip was found as a stray following a heavy bombing raid in London in 1940.
He began acting as an unofficial rescue dog, being used to sniff out casualties trapped beneath buildings and became the service's first search and rescue dog.
Rip was not trained for search and rescue work, but took to it instinctively. In twelve months between 1940 and 1941, he found over a hundred victims of the air raids in London. His success has been held partially responsible for prompting the authorities to train search and rescue dogs towards the end of World War II.
Rip was given the PDSA Dickin Medal to commemorate his work at this difficult time.

12. Beauty the dog
During wartime, specially trained dogs worked on patrol and guard duties and on search and rescue missions.
Beauty was the family pet of a PDSA worker, who led one of the animal rescue squads in London in World War II. One night in 1940 Beauty helped to dig through the rubble, and found a cat buried underneath. During her career she saved 63 animals from being buried alive, although she’d never been trained to do this.
She was awarded the PDSA Dickin Medal in 1945.

13. The UK’s leading vet charity …
PDSA is a 100 year old charity who have been treating sick and injured pets since 1917
They have Pet Hospitals all over the UK
They help one sick or injured pet every 5 seconds!
PDSA are still around today and have just celebrated their 100th birthday but a lot has changed.
Share the details on the slide and:
Tell children that PDSA treat the sick and injured pets of people in need..
Ask them if they think it’s important to help sick and injured animals to get better.
Ask them what would happen to all the sick and injured pets PDSA treat if they weren’t around.
It costs the charity more than
£1 million every week to do their work
The UK’s leading vet charity …

14. PDSA still has mobile service to this day
PDSA still has mobile service to this day. The PetWise on Tour vehicles travel all over the UK offering free health checks to dogs and giving owners advice on how to keep their animals healthy and happy. The vehicles have changed a bit though!

15. What do pets need?… EXERCISE & FUN HEALTH FOOD FRIENDS & WATER A HOME
No matter what year it is, our pets need to be happy and healthy.
All pets, whether they’re large or small, need the same five things to keep them healthy and happy:
The right kind of safe, warm home with lots of space
The right kind of food and 24 hour access to fresh water
Exercise and fun (the chance to show normal behaviour)
Friends (This can be other animals, people, or both)
Health ( We all need to make sure our pets are kept healthy and take them to the vet when they’re not well)
Ask whose responsibility it is to keep pets healthy and happy and confirm that owners are responsible for looking after their pet properly.
HEALTH
FOOD
& WATER
FRIENDS
What do pets need?…

16. Maria Dickin was keen to spread the word about responsible pet care, so she launched Busy Bees, a special club for children. The children’s writer, Enid Blyton became Queen Bee of the Busy Bees Club in Today, we have a children’s club called Pet Protectors, for ‘kids who love pets or want to be vets’ Members of the club get a club magazine 6 times a year and loads of fantastic goodies. They even get the chance to see ‘behind-the-scenes’ in PDSA Pet Hospitals!
Today, PDSA has a team of vet nurses who work in schools, teaching children about a range of animal-related subjects, and they also provides resources so schools can complete a special award and become PetWise.

17. In 1960, PDSA opened its very first purpose-built hospital in Nottingham. Today, PDSA has 48 Pet Hospitals all over the UK and continue to work towards Maria Dickin’s dream of a healthy and happy life for all pets. Do you know where your nearest PDSA Hospital is? Find out at pdsa.org.uk

18. What impact do you think Maria Dickin and PDSA have on the lives of people and their animals?
In the past
Today

19. Activity Write a story about Maria Dickin and pets in the war.
Younger/low ability children can draw a picture instead.
Activity

20. Thanks!