11 heartwarming pics as children learn how to safely interact with dogs at Inspire Youth Zone

Bark Smart visited Inspire Youth Zone Chorley at the weekend to deliver an interactive dog safety session for young people, with the Mayor and Mayoress of Chorley, Mr and Mrs Morwood, joining the event as special guests.

The session focused on helping children understand how to behave safely and respectfully around dogs, recognise body language, and learn how simple choices can prevent accidents and improve relationships between children and animals.

Children were joined by two much-loved canine visitors, Albert, a Tibetan Spaniel owned by Ann DeRizzio, and Viva, an Afghan Hound owned by Claire Kirk. Both dogs quickly became favourites, with children, staff and guests lining up to meet them, bringing plenty of smiles and excitement to the session.

Programme Director Mikki Wills said: “We would like to thank Inspire Youth Zone for inviting Bark Smart to take part. The children were brilliant, very engaged, and it was clear they had learned new things during the session.

“We would also like to thank Mr and Mrs Morwood for taking the time to join us. Their visit made a real difference and meant a lot to the children. They kindly presented the children with their Bark Smart certificates and presented our Bark Smart plaque to the Inspire team, which was a lovely moment for everyone.”

Bark Smart is a UK dog safety education programme that works with schools, youth groups and community organisations to reduce dog-related incidents and encourage safer, kinder interactions between children and dogs.

The team looks forward to returning to Inspire Youth Zone and continuing to deliver sessions across the region.

The news follows Lancashire Police and the Communications Workers Union (CWU) signing a new agreement aimed at improving the response to dog attacks on postal workers and ensuring those on the frontline can carry out their duties safely.

Take a look at some heartwarming pictures of the cute interactions.