Disconnecting cruelty

BY IMOGEN NEALE

As a seven-year-old Norm Hewitt used to lie in bed and listen for the sound of his dad's car door shutting.

One sound meant Norm was safe from his father's flying fists. Another sound meant he wasn't.

"When my dad raised his fist he didn’t put it down until he was satisfied that he’d used it," he says.

If Norm heard the "bad" sound he’d jump out his window into the paddock and leap on to the back of his horse Tommy.

The former All Black says he’d wrap his arms around Tommy’s neck and make a list of all the things he wished were different.

That was one of the stories Mr Hewitt told year 7 and 8 Rosehill Intermediate students last week during a presentation about animal abuse and domestic violence.

For four years Norm has been an ambassador for the SPCA’s nationwide One of the Family campaign.

He says as far as he knows it’s the only programme in the world that presents children with a link between animal and human abuse.

"We aim to reach 20,000 kids a year," he says.

The campaign is now in its third year and its message has been presented to around 52,000 students at almost 200 schools.

Norm says the visual presentation is aimed at year 7 to 8 students – particularly boys – because they’re just starting to form their "social conscience" and contemplate acts of animal cruelty.

The SPCA’s annual "list of shame" has many examples of young people torturing and abusing animals.

"They could be our next generation of violent criminals," he says. "But just like abusing animals is a precursor to a life of violent crime, treating animals right can have the opposite effect.

"It is proven that teaching children kindness and empathy towards animals shows them how to treat each other the same way."

Focusing on animals also lets the campaign presenters talk about things that might otherwise be too close to home for some children, he says.

But despite the serious topic Norm kept the mood light with stories about his childhood dreams of being a cowboy and his dad’s seven hour "adventures" to get fish and chips. He told the giggling students he later found out his dad was at the pub, not out at sea fishing for their dinner.

See www.oneofthefamily.co.nz for more information.

- © Fairfax NZ News