The degree of aggressive behaviour of an individual depends heavily on socialization, which initially takes place in the family environment, and later in the educational institutions. Inappropriate behaviour of children towards animals can be the result of anger, fear or phobia from a particular animal species, but also from curiosity, peer pressure, desire for control, power, etc. Previous studies suggest that inappropriate behaviour towards animals in childhood and adolescence is an important indicator of later violence against humans. Aggressive behaviour of children towards animals can also indicate domestic violence and abuse. The purpose of the empirical study in this part was to determine how teachers and pupils perceive the torture of animals, what their attitude towards animals is and what their experience of aggressive behaviour towards animals is. How teachers incorporate these issues into lessons was also a focus of the study. In the study the empirical quantitative approach was used. The sampling method was non-random and purposive. 342 students of the 7th, 8th and 9th grade from six elementary schools in the Dolenjska region and 55 teachers from the same schools were included in the survey. Two survey questionnaires were used: one for pupils and one for teachers. The obtained data were statistically processed in the SPSS program using descriptive and inferential statistics. The results of the empirical research have shown that most pupils have no experience with an inappropriate attitude towards animals; most of them haven’t noticed animals being tortured by their peers and parents. It turned out that pupils want to help animals when they notice that someone is behaving inappropriately towards them, as well as that teachers have no experience with pupils who torture animals. Most of the pupils said that they learned about the topic of inappropriate attitude towards animals in the classroom. Two thirds of the surveyed teachers say that they include the topic of attitudes towards animals in their lessons.
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