Are you considering a classroom pet? Have you thought about
the many needs of a pet, as well as what purpose it would serve in your classroom?
Have you explored the alternatives for providing an enriching animal experience
for your students? This guide will help you in making the most appropriate choice
for your classroom. It will also provide you with many other educational opportunities
available to you and your students for learning about animals.
Before bringing a pet into your classroom, it's essential
that you do your homework. First, you'll want to consider the age and maturity
level of your students. Are they old enough to handle and interact appropriately
with a pet? Is your class size and setup manageable enough to maintain easy
supervision of the pet? Second, you'll want to read about the pet you're considering
and understand its diet, sleep, exercise, temperature, housing and social needs.
You'll need to consider the yearly costs of caring for the pet, including veterinarian
services, food, toys, housing, accessories and cleaning supplies. It's also
important to realize that some pets, like reptiles, can pose health risks to
your students. We recommend checking books out of the library, talking to animal
professionals in your community and looking at the multitude of animal-related
websites on the internet. The following websites provide useful information
about handling and caring for various pets: House
Rabbit Society;
All About Hamsters;
Colorado Reptile Rescue; and
American Society for the Prevention of Cruelty
to Animals, which provides basic information about guinea pigs, rabbits,
hamsters and gerbils. It would also be helpful to talk to a teacher who currently
has, or has had, the type of pet you're considering in their classroom. Lastly,
it's essential to begin thinking about how you'll integrate this pet into your
daily classroom routine, instruction and educational goals.
Before getting a classroom pet, it's a good idea to seek
approval from several different sources. Some districts and individual schools
have "no-pet" policies, so you'll want to check with your principal and your
district representative to make sure it's okay to have a pet at your school.
It's also a good idea to ask your students and their parents if they're in favor
of having a pet in the classroom.
When you're ready to select a classroom pet, we recommend
you adopt a pet from an animal shelter, like the Dumb Friends League, rather
than purchase one from a pet store. Each year, the League receives hundreds
of small mammals in need of new homes. When you adopt a pet from the League,
you'll be able to speak with an adoption counselor who can help you choose the
appropriate pet for your particular situation and answer your questions. Also,
we have a health care assistance program where we can help you with health problems
your pet may encounter within the first 15 days after adoption. You'll also
receive one free visit to a veterinarian. All rabbits adopted from the League
are spayed or neutered at no extra cost. If you're adopting more than one pet,
like rats, mice, hamsters or gerbils, it's important to know the sex of each
one so you can prevent breeding. It would be inappropriate to breed pets in
the classroom since there is already an overabundance of homeless companion
animals in this country. Careless breeding teaches children that pets are unimportant,
and therefore disposable.
Adopting a pet requires a commitment from you for as long
as that pet lives. Far too many pets are abandoned or brought to animal shelters
across the country because their owners weren't prepared or willing to care
for them and accept the responsibility of pet ownership.
If you adopt a pet for your classroom, we urge you
to be the sole caretaker of that pet. You should be responsible for all of the
pet's needs and should take it home on weekends, holidays and school breaks.
It's extremely stressful for a pet to go home with a different family every
weekend because it has to continually adjust to a new environment and new people.
Well-intentioned families are often not prepared to care for a pet, which could
result in illness, injury or even the death of the pet.
It's important to note that many schools turn off
their heating, cooling and lighting systems on evenings, weekends and holidays,
so you'll want to check with your school regarding its policies and make arrangements
for your pet accordingly. Pets may run out of food and water during these times,
too. Also, be sure to include your pet in any evacuation plans.
Depending on which type of pet and how many you adopt,
you'll need to be prepared to clean their cage once or several times a week.
Having a pet in the classroom can be an enriching experience
for the students, if done appropriately and with the right goals in mind. When
a student learns to understand and respect a classroom pet, it's an important
step in developing empathy toward all animals. Part of your "homework" process
is to make plans for integrating the animal into your curriculum and daily class
instruction. The first step is to emphasize that the pet will be a member of
the classroom "family" and to discuss respect and kindness toward all members
of this "family," including the pet. You'll want to spend time explaining the
needs of the pet and how you will care for it. You'll also want to establish
rules for handling and interacting with the pet. Much of this will depend on
the age of the students, as well as the size of the class. Please recognize
that injuries could occur as a result of the animal being squeezed or dropped,
and that improper handling could lead to temperament problems. If a classroom
pet bites, it's usually because it has learned to associate human hands with
unpleasant experiences.
The second step is to incorporate the pet into your
daily classroom activities. For example, the students can keep a journal and
record what the pet does and how it changes on a daily basis. Lessons about
the pet can be integrated into virtually every academic area. If this is to
be an educational and humane experience, the pet needs to be an integral part
of the students' activities in the classroom.
Adopting a pet for your classroom can be a wonderfully humane
and enriching experience, given the right conditions and a high level of commitment.
You are a role model for your students and they will watch what you do, as well
as listen to what you say. Your kind and compassionate leadership will teach
the children to follow in your path. If you decide to bring a pet into your
classroom, please give it the consideration and care it deserves. If, on the
other hand, you're not ready for this responsibility, there are many other educational
opportunities available to you and your students for learning about animals.
There are many animal-related organizations that have
curricula, videos, books and printed materials on specific animals and
animal-related issues. Many of them have websites, as well. The Dumb Friends
League has free curricula available for all grade levels and a special
page for children called "Caring Kids."
For information on other animal-related organizations, please contact
our Humane Education Program at (303) 751-5772,
Ext. 7232.
Have you looked out your window lately? Even in the
inner-city there is an abundance of wildlife just waiting to be explored. City
schools can observe sparrows, geese, squirrels and interesting insects. Suburban
and rural schools have the opportunity to study and observe such animals as
foxes, coyotes, raccoons and skunks. Many cities have wildlife rehabilitation
centers. Invite a representative to speak to your students about the animals
they work with and what they can do if they find an injured or abandoned animal.
Thematic units are a great way to introduce an animal
or a group of animals and their habitats and ecosystems. All academic areas
can be integrated into these units and they can culminate with a tour of the
Dumb Friends League, the Denver Zoo,
the Denver Botanic Gardens,
Ocean Journey, the Butterfly Pavilion
& Insect Center or an educational farm. Most of these organizations have
educational programs, offer group tours and/or conduct a variety of classes
for children.
The Dumb Friends League's Humane
Education Program offers tours of our Quebec Shelter and off-site
presentations for schools, scout troops, youth groups and community organizations.
Our staff and volunteers are dedicated to teaching responsible pet care, the
importance of reducing pet overpopulation and respect for all life. Our programs
can also be customized to fit specific curricular needs and enhance thematic
units.
We are a private nonprofit organization. We spend an average of $300 on every animal adopted, over and above the fee paid by the patron. If you would like to help us, you can click here to make a secure online donation or print out a donation form and mail or fax it to us.
The Dumb Friends League respects the privacy of its donors. We do not sell or exchange any individual donor information. For details on our privacy policy, click here.
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