The SPCA's annual List of Shame has 11,000 examples of New Zealanders torturing and abusing animals each year - many of them young people.
But ex-All Black and Dancing with the Stars winner Norm Hewitt was in Dunedin yesterday visiting Balmacewen and Dunedin North Intermediate pupils with the aim of turning those statistics on their heads.
"It's the Norm: to treat your pets like one of the family," was his message to pupils.
The programme of video clips and personal stories emphasised the link between animal cruelty and human violence, and enforced the message that cruelty in any form was unacceptable.
SPCA education development manager Shelley Ryan said 25,000 pupils across New Zealand had heard the campaign, which encouraged pupils to explore the emotions and needs of animals and the bond which existed between them and people.
It was important for pets to have freedom from hunger, thirst, cruelty and harm, discomfort, pain, injury and disease.
It was also important for pets to have freedom to express normal behaviour (exercise).
The benefits of empathy education reached beyond the school and into the home, helping to address negative behaviour towards animals and humans, she said.
To keep the mood light, Mr Hewitt did what he does best and shared a moment dancing and doing a haka with pupils at the end of the presentations.
The One of the Family campaign will continue today at Tahuna and Macandrew Intermediates.
