select and manage appropriate classroom animals to teach science, math, animal behavior, geography and to create a climate of cooperation, care and compassion for living creatures. The goal of the program is to provide teachers with the necessary information to care for and keep healthy animals, creating a setting that will minimize risk of exposure to students and provide adequate animal needs. Student risk related to bites, scratches, disease and allergy are described for each animal group discussed. Lesson plans based on the National Science Education Standards are suggested for animal behavior, chemistry, physics and water quality in aquariums, habitat requirements for animal health and the use of domesticated animals as examples to study wildlife, habitat and ecology. Student habitat planning, preparation, management, feeding and care are encouraged. Dogs, cats and wildlife are not recommended as resident animals, but teachers are urged to find mentors in the veterinary community, humane education programs, zoos and pet dealers to visit classrooms to share data and information. A K-8 session on Dog Bite Prevention is provided.

The Workshop Audience includes teachers who keep or would like to keep living animals in

their classrooms, principals, school nurses and administrators concerned with health and safety issues and for humane society educators who work with teachers, students and schools.

The Pet Care Trust collaborates with school districts, shelters and humane societies, public

aquariums and zoos, and the pet industry in an effort to support teachers, students and schools regarding science education, human health and animal care and welfare. Workshop sites and AV equipment are provided by school districts, humane educators, zoos, aquariums, or the pet industry sponsor, depending on each workshop site location.

Workshop enrollment is made through the office of one contributing pet industry association: World Wide Pet Supply Association (WWPSA),

Workshop presentations and hands-on interaction (at most sites); A 100 page Manual with lesson plans; Grade level specific hand-outs; $125.00 Teacher's Pet Certificate for equipment and supplies, selected by the teacher to meet their classroom needs and compliment the teacher's specific program.

1998	2000	2001	2002	2003
Long Beach, CA	Poulsbo, WA	Altanta, GA	Kingston WA	Las Vegas, NV
Dallas, TX	Olympia, WA	Las Vegas, NV	Las Vegas, NV	Lafayette, IN
	Tampa, FL	Sacramento, CA	Atlanta, GA	Ft. Wayne, IN
	Pomona, CA	Orlando, FL	Orlando, FL	Tampa, FL
	Post Falls, ID	Seattle, WA	Somerset, NJ	Pueblo, CO
1999	Woodland Park Zoo, Seattle, WA	Princeton, NJ	Indianapolis, IN	Colorado Sps., CO
Tampa, FL	Sommerset, NJ	Pomona, CA	Ft. Wayne, IN	Columbus, OH
Pomona, CA	Providence, RI	Hampton, NH	Colorado Sp, CO	Cincinnati, OH
Tacoma, WA	Milwaukee, WI	Tacoma, WA	Topeka, KS	Brerwster, NY
Nashville, TN	Sacramento, CA		Columbus, OH	Middletown, NY
Milwaukee, WI			Long Beach, CA	E.Hannover, NJ
NBTA Conference, Ft. Worth, TX			Toronto, ONT CAN	Madison, WI
			Chicago, IL	Chicago, IL
			Seattle, WA	Seattle, WA
			Sacramento, CA	Milwaukee, WI
			Cincinnati, OH

Expenses, including speaker travel and expenses, workshop manuals and Teacher's Pet Certificates

are funded by the United States Pet Industry's Foundation the Pet Care Trust with the generous contributions from American Pet Products Manufacturers Association (APPMA), Pet Industry Distributors Association (PIDA) and World Wide Pet Supply Association (WWPSA). School Districts will be asked to provide a Workshop Meeting Room and AudioVisual Equipment at some Workshop Sites.

Interested School Districts, Teacher Organizations, National and Regional Science Teacher

Meetings and Conferences, State Veterinary Medical Associations, Zoos, Aquariums and Humane Education Programs should contact Dr. Pitts at jlpitts@olympus.net to develop a workshop.

Veterinary Technician/DVM's Seminar to Support Pet Owners and Teachers
...Small Companion Animal Husbandry, Habitat, Diet and Care
Helping Teachers and Clients Select, Manage and Care for Minor Species Animals

A full-day workshop to assist veterinary professionals with non-medical problems involving small animal species commonly kept as pets at home or in school classrooms. Most of the health related problems with small mammals (rodents & rabbits), ornamental fish, small birds and reptiles are owner mismanagement and lack of information about hygiene and health. This seminar covers issues of animal husbandry, habitat, diet, hygiene, environment and human-animal interaction.

A quarter of teachers in North America have small animals living in their classrooms supporting education for biology, behavior, ecology and creating an environment for compassion and caring. Teachers need local mentors to educate and assist them in the proper care and management of these animals. The object of this seminar is to prepare Vet Tech/DVMs to present teacher workshops to insure humane care, avoid allergies/asthma and zoonoses and provide positive lessons for students. VT/DVMs working with the Animals in the Classroom program will be compensated for organizing and conducting teacher workshops through teacher enrollment fees. This basic information will also help VTs get started with minor species owners in the clinical setting. This is not a medicine or surgery seminar, but will provide basic information for clients regarding husbandry and nutrition.

The VT/DVMs will also be introduced to Dog Bite Prevention information to help teachers/students or clients and their children about canine behavior and avoidance of dangerous situations and bites. Over 4.5 million bites occur each year with 65% occurring in children. VT/DVMs are encouraged to interact with teachers and schools promote dog bite prevention and develop protocols for providing classroom animal care and prevent and mitigate risks of bites, scratches, allergy/asthma and to understand the potential of zoonotic diseases.

Each VT/DVM attending the seminar will receive the Teachers Manual providing animal lesson plans, and references supporting animal education. Working with teachers will help educate students about personal responsibility, compassion and the value of animals in the lives of humans. To support the Animals in the Classroom workshop presented by VT/DVMs, the Pet Care Trust will provide a $125 generic teacher certificate for each teacher completing the workshop for equipment and supplies for their classroom animal.

This program is not intended to preclude the Veterinarian's role in treating sick animals, but to help build the clientele by providing appropriate and affordable care for those "other" pets that may never enter the clinic. The Vet Tech is urged to interact minor species companion animal owners and share information on husbandry, behavior and owner responsibility. This program is presented by John Pitts, DVM, former practitioner and educator working with the Pet Care Trust Foundation. Contact jlpitts@olympus.net or see www.petcaretrust.org.

  The Pet Care Trust (PCT)
  Non-Profit Foundation since 1990
  The Southern Building,
  805 15^th Street, 9^th Floor
  Washington, DC 20005

  Pet Care Trust Office Contact
  Debbie Mazur, Administration
  406 S 1st Avenue
  Arcadia, CA 91006-3829
  Tel: 626-566-2293, Fax: 626-447-8350
  Email: petcaretrust@aol.com