Photo: Students fit tagging device and collar on a dog in a remote community in East Arnhem Land, NT
AMRRIC partnered with East Arnhem Regional Council (EARC), with the support of science organization Inspired NT, to run their ‘’Secret Life of Remote Dogs’’ project again in 2023 – this time in remote communities of East Arnhem Land.
The program aims to engage students in remote communities in a STEAM (science, technology, engineering, arts, mathematics) project through teaching children the scientific method via an interesting and relatable medium. Namely, their dogs!
Students learn about the scientific method and hypothesize about where their dogs might go during the day and the night, and why they might go there. Dogs in each community are tagged with tracking devices and students discuss the results after watching their dogs’ activity over the course of 24-48 hours. The results prove an interesting way to help no only with teaching the scientific method, but also teaching children about their dog’s moving to fulfil their needs, and their responsibilities as a pet owner to provide for their pets and help support healthy and happy pets and communities.
This is a wonderful initiative that AMRRIC have run now in three different regions in the NT since 2021, each with its own interesting results. The program also allows for the opportunity to broaden the way in which we teach One Health to communities, and helps students see the intrinsic relation between animal, human, and environmental health.
AMRRIC are grateful to EARC, Inspired NT, and the communities for their support in running this program and hope to run the program again in 2024.
