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Press Release - August 1, 2001
Pet Industry Associations and the Pet Care Trust
Support Pet Retailers
Pet Industry Associations and the Pet Care Trust
Support Pet Retailers
Pet Industry Associations and the Pet Care Trust Support Pet Retailers
Contributions from the American Pet Products Manufacturers Association (APPMA), Pet Industry Distributors Association (PIDA) and the World Wide Pet Supply Association (WWPSA) to the Pet Care Trust have created two very successful programs. The U.S. Pet Industry's Foundation created "Animals in the Classroom" teacher workshops for animals in schools and "Animals To the Classroom" seminars for pet retailers. Both programs offer educational opportunities that benefit students, teachers, schools, community and pet retailers in many ways.
The Animals in the Classroom teacher training is an 8 hour, college credit workshop that deals with the selection, management and care of small mammals, fish, birds, amphibians and reptiles that reside in school classrooms. An estimated 25% of North American school teachers keep animals in their classrooms for interaction with students to teach responsibility and to teach biology, ecology, nature study, water chemistry and physics. The U.S. Pet Industry provides teachers with animal welfare and risk prevention information. The Pet Care Trust wrote the 100 page Teacher's Manual, which provides specific data on suitable, healthy animals residing in classroom settings for K-12 teachers. Each teacher receives the Manual when they enroll in the workshop presented by veterinarian John Pitts, program manager for the Trust. The Manual includes lesson plans for live animals and the basics of habitat, nutrition and animal care. Health and safety discussions are presented to avoid potential bites, scratches, allergies and zoonotic disease. When the teacher completes the workshop they are presented with a $100-125 Teacher's Pet Certificate for materials, equipment or animals in their classrooms. The Certificate, originally created by WWPSA, is a reflection of the Pet Industry's commitment to education. The Certificate can only be redeemed for purchases made at local pet stores, providing interaction between teachers and pet dealers.
Childhood interaction with animals results in more caring and compassionate adults, so society wins. In the last four years, Dr. Pitts has met with 767 teachers at 26 workshops around the United States. But the workshop is only a beginning and teachers are encouraged to find local mentors and work with their pet stores for additional information, support and advice. Teachers show their Pet Certificate to retailers and ask if an educational discount is offered. The teachers spend their own money, collect receipts, make a list of their purchases and submit the packet to the WWPSA office for reimbursement. The industry sponsors the certificates; students learn about and value animals, teachers gain new knowledge and the retailer supports schools. The program has taken on various forms in different communities. In Kingston, Washington, pet retailers Mark and Stephanie Stebbing were so pleased that 20 teachers presented certificates in their store, they established an annual $500 scholarship to help teachers with classroom animals. At the Milwaukee workshop, Jane Hoffer of Hoffer's Pets provided animals and equipment for hands-on demonstrations and gave the equipment to teachers at the end of the workshop. At the Seattle Woodland Park Zoo, Boeing underwrote the teachers' $25 enrollment fee. The Las Vegas Natural History Museum presented a session on invertebrates as pets within the workshop. School districts and humane societies have hosted workshops, as well as, APPMA, PIDA and WWPSA at trade shows in California, Florida, Tennessee and Texas. Twenty-nine requests for workshops have been submitted for 2002. The Animals in the Classroom budget is limited to 8 workshops each year, so the Pet Care Trust Board of Trustees are currently seeking funding to enhance this pet industry program. This is a win-win for students, animals, and teachers and for the pet industry sponsorship.
The other Pet Care Trust program, "Animals To the Classroom", is designed to help pet retailers interact with local schools. This 1 ? hour seminar presents strategies for visiting classrooms with live animals and positive messages about animal care and responsibility. Retailers and staff learn about teacher, principal and administrator's concerns, and how to create safe animal visits and presentations. Seminar materials include lesson plans and worksheets for copy and Dr. Pitts discusses risk and how to protect students, and animals. Negative experiences can result but can be avoided using simple precautions. Unfortunately, misperceptions about the risk of animals in classrooms are common. Bad examples stem from ignorance or too many or inappropriate animals in classrooms. The wrong animals with inadequate safety and management protocols will result in mishap. Many school administrators fear animal related injury or illness and the potential for liability claims directed at the school district. This seminar provides valuable data on zoonotic disease and how to manage and reduce risk potential. Pet retailers can provide valuable information and help teachers introduce students to interesting animals and pet care. If done is a positive and safe manner, the retailer will be invited back to assist the teachers and the school in educating youth about their responsibility for companion animals. If you like animals and you like kids, it is hard not to have fun and feel good about your personal contribution to education and children. To date, seminars have been sponsored by Central Garden & Pet, WWPSA and H.H. Backer in Seattle, Long Beach, Chicago and Atlantic City. If you want to find out more about the Pet Care Trust programs, visit www.petcaretrust.org.
John Pitts, DVM, Program Coordinator, Pet Care Trust
The Animals in the Classroom teacher training is an 8 hour, college credit workshop that deals with the selection, management and care of small mammals, fish, birds, amphibians and reptiles that reside in school classrooms. An estimated 25% of North American school teachers keep animals in their classrooms for interaction with students to teach responsibility and to teach biology, ecology, nature study, water chemistry and physics. The U.S. Pet Industry provides teachers with animal welfare and risk prevention information. The Pet Care Trust wrote the 100 page Teacher's Manual, which provides specific data on suitable, healthy animals residing in classroom settings for K-12 teachers. Each teacher receives the Manual when they enroll in the workshop presented by veterinarian John Pitts, program manager for the Trust. The Manual includes lesson plans for live animals and the basics of habitat, nutrition and animal care. Health and safety discussions are presented to avoid potential bites, scratches, allergies and zoonotic disease. When the teacher completes the workshop they are presented with a $100-125 Teacher's Pet Certificate for materials, equipment or animals in their classrooms. The Certificate, originally created by WWPSA, is a reflection of the Pet Industry's commitment to education. The Certificate can only be redeemed for purchases made at local pet stores, providing interaction between teachers and pet dealers.
Childhood interaction with animals results in more caring and compassionate adults, so society wins. In the last four years, Dr. Pitts has met with 767 teachers at 26 workshops around the United States. But the workshop is only a beginning and teachers are encouraged to find local mentors and work with their pet stores for additional information, support and advice. Teachers show their Pet Certificate to retailers and ask if an educational discount is offered. The teachers spend their own money, collect receipts, make a list of their purchases and submit the packet to the WWPSA office for reimbursement. The industry sponsors the certificates; students learn about and value animals, teachers gain new knowledge and the retailer supports schools. The program has taken on various forms in different communities. In Kingston, Washington, pet retailers Mark and Stephanie Stebbing were so pleased that 20 teachers presented certificates in their store, they established an annual $500 scholarship to help teachers with classroom animals. At the Milwaukee workshop, Jane Hoffer of Hoffer's Pets provided animals and equipment for hands-on demonstrations and gave the equipment to teachers at the end of the workshop. At the Seattle Woodland Park Zoo, Boeing underwrote the teachers' $25 enrollment fee. The Las Vegas Natural History Museum presented a session on invertebrates as pets within the workshop. School districts and humane societies have hosted workshops, as well as, APPMA, PIDA and WWPSA at trade shows in California, Florida, Tennessee and Texas. Twenty-nine requests for workshops have been submitted for 2002. The Animals in the Classroom budget is limited to 8 workshops each year, so the Pet Care Trust Board of Trustees are currently seeking funding to enhance this pet industry program. This is a win-win for students, animals, and teachers and for the pet industry sponsorship.
The other Pet Care Trust program, "Animals To the Classroom", is designed to help pet retailers interact with local schools. This 1 ? hour seminar presents strategies for visiting classrooms with live animals and positive messages about animal care and responsibility. Retailers and staff learn about teacher, principal and administrator's concerns, and how to create safe animal visits and presentations. Seminar materials include lesson plans and worksheets for copy and Dr. Pitts discusses risk and how to protect students, and animals. Negative experiences can result but can be avoided using simple precautions. Unfortunately, misperceptions about the risk of animals in classrooms are common. Bad examples stem from ignorance or too many or inappropriate animals in classrooms. The wrong animals with inadequate safety and management protocols will result in mishap. Many school administrators fear animal related injury or illness and the potential for liability claims directed at the school district. This seminar provides valuable data on zoonotic disease and how to manage and reduce risk potential. Pet retailers can provide valuable information and help teachers introduce students to interesting animals and pet care. If done is a positive and safe manner, the retailer will be invited back to assist the teachers and the school in educating youth about their responsibility for companion animals. If you like animals and you like kids, it is hard not to have fun and feel good about your personal contribution to education and children. To date, seminars have been sponsored by Central Garden & Pet, WWPSA and H.H. Backer in Seattle, Long Beach, Chicago and Atlantic City. If you want to find out more about the Pet Care Trust programs, visit www.petcaretrust.org.
John Pitts, DVM, Program Coordinator, Pet Care Trust
August 1, 2001
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