In the early eighties human-animal interaction was still regarded as a relatively new field of study. Since then, various disciplines got involved through research, publications, projects and scientific meetings. Although the independent development of the study field was hindered by fragmentation and specialization, important contributions were made by the different disciplines. An unique characteristic of human-animal interaction as field of study is the combination between the human sciences and natural sciences. The need for some form of integration and openness between the sciences developed. This combination not only offers opportunities but set specific demands for multidisciplinary co-operation. The study field of human-animal interaction can be enriched and broadened through co-operation between disciplines as each discipline have specialized knowledge and skills available to enhance the synergistic effect. The aim of this study is to explore the multidisciplinary nature of the study field, the involvement of Social Work in the multidisciplinary team, points of departure for multidisciplinary co-operation, and the independent nature of the study field. Twenty three disciplines were identified that are involved in the study field, namely: Anthropology&Archeology, Occupational Therapy, Architecture, Marketing, Philosophy, Physiology, Physiotherapy, Medicine, Journalism, Communication Pathology, Criminology, Art, Social Work, Education, Psychiatry, Public Health, Law, Psychology, Sociology, Town&Regional Planning, Theology, Veterinary Science and Nursing. Involvement varies from direct involvement with the implementation of programmes; indirect involvement as for example in an advisory capacity; contributing to the fundamental view points regarding the human-animal bond; and the promoting of a positive image of human-animal interaction. The role of Social Work in the study field can be divided into five main areas, namely: the aim of social work intervention, e.g. improving quality of life; the roles of the social worker, e.g. facilitator; target groups in Social Work, e.g. children and the elderly; needs of people, e.g. alleviating loneliness and depression; and approaches towards service rendering, e.g. developmental Social Work. The most important principles of multidisciplinary co-operation in the study field are stated as: aspiration to achieve the same goal, joint research, a comprehensive description of the nature and extent of the involvement of each discipline, knowledge of all the other discipline's involvement, as well as participation in human-animal interaction programmes. The independence of human-animal interaction as study field can be measured against the following seven criteria: scientific organizations, scientific meetings, publications, academic training- and educational programmes, research, programmes and projects in practice, and multidisciplinary co-operation. A strategy to enhance human-animal interaction as independent, multidisciplinary study field in South Africa is presented according to seven decision-making areas used in the marketing of services. These decision making areas include: product-(service)decisions, price decisions, place decisions, promotional decisions, personnel decisions and presentation decisions. As social workers focus on the needs of the community and the need to interact with companion animals is one of these needs, social workers can play an important role in achieving the strategic goals of leading the study field of human-animal interaction to independence. / Dissertation (DPhil (Social Work))--University of Pretoria, 2004. / Social Work and Criminology / unrestricted

The aim of this study was to investigate human-animal interactions in the triad comprising the veterinarian, the animal and the preschool and in so doing to elucidate the role of the veterinarian in the health and education of preschool children. The area of focus was a comparison of preschools in high and low income areas in and around Pretoria by means of qualitative and quantitative observational methods. It was found that all preschools investigated, included animals in the curriculum and a majority visited the zoo. Interactions included direct contact between children and animals kept permanently or temporarily at school, animal themes and topics, animal protagonists in books, videos, toys and games and excursions to the zoo, urban farms, agricultural museums and animal welfare societies. Teachers felt that child-animal interactions contributed positively to the holistic development of the preschool child, but were worried about management of animals at school and the possibility of zoonotic diseases. As protein of animal origin, such as milk, eggs, meat and fish, formed part of the diet of preschool children, this could also result in a risk of zoonotic disease, particularly in developing areas, where meat and milk hygiene were found to be inadequate. In order to address these fears, the literature was reviewed with regard to zoonotic diseases which could affect preschool children in South Africa. Incidence and prevalence were not well documented and the comparative significance could not be assessed. Therefore the comparative morbidity of diseases diagnosed by the paediatric department of a hospital serving the low income areas studied and a private practice serving the high income areas, were investigated. It was discovered that zoonotic disease formed a very minor proportion of diseases diagnosed. The diagnoses were, however, based on symptoms rather than aetiology and zoonotic causes for, in particular, respiratory and gastro-intestinal disease, could not be excluded. In the light of this, criteria were proposed for the prevention of zoonotic disease outbreaks at preschools. An outbreak of zoonotic disease at a preschool was documented and the application of primary health care principles suggested. Constraints were found to be mainly administrative. Co-operation between the departments of Health and Agriculture was complicated by financial implications which had not been budgeted. Despite this, the intervention was successful in controlling the disease and preventing further outbreaks. The presence of a veterinarian as part of the primary health care team was advocated. Within the preschool it was found that teachers lacked knowledge in the fields of animal ethology and management. Cost, ease of management and appeal to children were taken into account in the choice of animals by preschools. Rodents and birds were considered preferable to carnivores. Housing was evaluated and criteria suggested for management systems which would benefit both children and animals. Death and euthanasia of animals kept permanently at preschool was investigated and suggestions made for a teaching strategy to facilitate understanding by children of the abstract concepts of life, death and grief. A method was developed for the analysis of animal content in literature, games and toys at preschools. It was found that animals were central to the theme of a majority of the books and toys. Realistic fiction where anthropomorphic animals were the central protagonists, had most appeal for children and it was suggested that these could be used in veterinary extension materials for prevention of zoonotic diseases or promotion of animal welfare. An evaluation system was proposed which included the input of veterinary ethologists. Animal facilities visited by preschools during excursions were evaluated. It was found that they were not sufficiently child-centred and environmen¬tally safe for young children. It was suggested that veterinary public health officials should become involved in order to improve animal well-being, particularly with regard to handling facilities and hygiene. In conclusion, a schematic representation of the multitude of roles for veterinarians in the holistic development of the preschool child was drawn up. The roles for different veterinary specialities were also tabulated in order to illustrate the important part played by this profession in the health and education of preschool children. / Die doel van die studie was om mens-dier-interaksies in die driehoek tussen veearts, dier en die kleuterskool te ondersoek om sodoende die rol van die veearts in die gesondheid en opvoeding van die voorskoolse kind aan te dui. Kwalitatiewe en kwantitatiewe navorsingsmetodes is gebruik om kleuterskole in die lae en hoë inkomste-gebiede in en om Pretoria te vergelyk. Alle kleuterskole wat ondersoek is, het diere in die kurrikulum ingesluit en die meerderheid skole het uitstappies na die dieretuin onderneem. Kind-dierinteraksies het die volgende ingesluit: direkte kontak tussen kind en dier op skool; diere in temas, stories, boeke, speletjies en speelgoed; asook uitstappies na die dieretuin, landelike museums, stedelike plase en dierwelsynsorganisasies. Onderwyseresse het gemeen dat die interaksies positief bygedra het tot die holistiese ontwikkeling van die voorskoolse kind, maar het kommer uitgespreek oor bestuur en siektes van diere. Omdat proteïene van dierlike oorsprong deel uitmaak van die dieet van voorskoolse kinders, was soönose ook 'n moontlikheid, veral in kinders van ontwikkelende areas waar dit uitgewys was dat higiëne met betrekking tot vleis en melk, nie na wense was nie. 'n Literatuurstudie het aangetoon dat die algemeenheid en omvang van soönotiese siektes, wat moontlik gevaarlik kon wees vir voorskoolse kinders, nie volledig genoeg omskryf was nie. Die vergelykende morbiditeit van siektes by Ga-Rankuwa Hospitaal se kinderafdeling (pasiënte van lae-inkomste gebiede) en 'n private praktyk in die oostelike voorstede van Pretoria (hoë inkomste gebied), is dus ondersoek. Soönotiese siektes het 'n klein deel uitgemaak van die siektes wat gediagnoseer was, maar die diagnose was op simptome, eerder as die etiologie van die siektes, gebaseer. Die vermoede bestaan dat veral siektes wat gediagnoseer is as respiratories en gastro-enteries, 'n soönotiese oorsprong kon gehad het. 'n Uitbreek van 'n soönotiese siekte by 'n kleuterskool is ondersoek en daar is voorgestel dat primêre gesondheidsorgmetodes gebruik word om dit te bekamp. Teenkanting op administratiewe vlak was die belangrikste probleem wat ondervind was, maar ten spyte daarvan kon die ondersoek suksesvol verloop. Die rol van die veearts as deel van die primêre gesondheidspan is ook hierdeur beklemtoon. Binne die kleuterskool is gevind dat daar 'n gebrek aan kennis is oor diere-etologie en dierebestuur. Kostes, praktiese versorgingsmetodes en die stimuluswaarde van diersoorte, was belangrike aspekte in die keuse van diere wat by skole aangehou is. Daarom was knaagdiere, voëls en vissies meer gewild as honde en katte. Die behuising van die diere is geëvalueer volgens voorgestelde kriteria wat tot voordeel van beide diere en kinders kan strek. Die dood en genadedood van diere by twee kleuterskole is ondersoek en voorstelle is gemaak uit 'n opvoedingkundige oogpunt, om die kinders konsepte betreffende lewe, dood en rou te laat begryp en ook om dit te kan verwerk. 'n Metode is ook ontwerp vir die analise van boeke en speelgoed en daar is bewys dat diere 'n hoofrol gespeel het in die meerderheid boeke en speelgoed by voorskole. Kinders het boeke verkies waar die hoofkarakters antropomorfiese diere was en die omgewing vergelykbaar was met die lewenswêreld van kinders. 'n Voorstel is dus gemaak dat sulke karakters gebruik word om veeartsenykunde voorligtingsboodskappe oor soönotiese siektes of dierwelsyn oor te dra aan jong kinders.Stedelike plasies, die dieretuin, landboumuseums en die Dierebeskermingsvereniging in Pretoria is besoek en daar is bevind dat dit nie veilig genoeg vir jong kinders is nie. Daar word dus aanbeveei dat veeartse in diens van plaaslike owerhede se gesondheidsdienste sulke plekke besoek, om voorstelle oor verbeterde veiligheid en higiëne te maak.Ten slote is 'n skematiese voorstelling van die veelsydige rol van veeartsenykundiges in die holistiese ontwikkeling van die voorskoolse kind saamgestel. Die verskillende rolle vir verskillende spesialiteite is ook voorgelê om die belangrike bydrae van veeartsenykunde tot die gesondheid en opvoeding van voorskoolse kinders aan te dui. / Thesis (DPhil)--University of Pretoria, 1995. / Production Animal Studies / unrestricted