AN RSPCA leader will be travelling to Bosnia to train teachers about the importance of animal welfare.

Sue Dawson will spend eight days working with primary and secondary school teachers as well as Government ministers to show them how animal welfare projects can be used to educate young people.

The 37-year-old, who is the head of the charity's North-west education team, will use animal puppets, role-play and storymaking as examples for the teachers to share with their pupils.

Mrs Dawson, from Stoneclough, visited Bosnia last year to lead a pioneering programme which integrated animal welfare education with war trauma therapy and helped children who were psychologically scarred by the civil war.

Bosnia, which has a massive stray dog problem, has no formal laws to protect animals, there are no state animal shelters and there are still cases of rabies.

The seminars will take place in Neum, which is on the Bosnian border with Croatia.

Mrs Dawson appeared on the BBC's Animal Hospital earlier this year with her fully trained "Pets As Therapy" dog, Ellie.

She said: "The aim is to show teachers and ministers that animal welfare projects can play a vital role in the education of young people - which should also help improve conditions for animals in Bosnia.

"I am really looking forward to the experience and the challenge."