The Pet Care Trust - News Releases

Knowing that the U.S. Pet Industry supports students, teachers and schools and that many pet retailers work closely with teachers, the Pet Care Trust funded a project to determine teacher preference and use of companion animals in schools. Dr. Alan Beck, Prof. of Animal Ecology, School of Veterinary Medicine, and Dr. Anthony Rud, Jr., Assoc. Dean, School of Education, Purdue University, conducted the survey. In 1998, 1,999 surveys were sent to elementary school teachers throughout the State of Indiana. A total of 428 responses (21.4%) were completed and returned. Most of the surveys came from teachers in cities (71.8%), with the balance from farm areas or cities less than 25,000 population. In this sample, 26.6% of the teachers kept one or more resident animals in their classroom, and 46% of teachers who did not keep resident pets, did allow animals to visit the classroom. This is consistent with anecdotal estimates that 20-25% of public school teachers keep some type of animal.

A wide variety of animals were found in Indiana elementary school classrooms. Mammals include chinchillas, gerbils, Guinea pigs, hamsters, mice, rats, hedge hogs and rabbits. The only birds identified were parakeets. Reptiles included, anoles, iguanas, legless lizards, snakes (garter, corn and boa) and box turtles. Amphibians included frogs, toads and salamanders, while fish were listed as goldfish, Betas, guppies and other tropical fish. Invertebrates include ants, butterflies, cockroaches, crickets, mealworms, hermit crabs, crawfish, snails, spiders and (one) sea anemone.

Teachers responding to the survey discussed the benefits and the downsides of resident animals in their classrooms. Two examples are: 1. With the death of a gerbil, the students mourned the loss by writing and drawing, and then a funeral was conducted where 5-6 students said something nice about the gerbil and then sang the school song; 2. A snake escaped from it's habitat and was later found in the principal's office.

Dean Rud and Dr. Beck note that children often write stories about their pets, and many of these stories illustrate a close and/or complex relationships between children and companion animals. Children are interested in animals and spend a lot of time interacting with them. Children read about what is interesting to them, and companion animals top the list. A 1990 newspaper feature article notes that "dog" and "cat" are the #1 and #2 most frequently looked-up entries in the World Book Encyclopedia. Dr. Beck and others state that, "there is growing evidence that interaction with animals has important implications for child development, especially in the areas of social growth and communication". Animals can facilitate social interaction and may alter a child's attitude about themselves or perhaps their ability to relate to others.

Companion animals play an important role the physical and emotional well being of children and adults in a variety of settings. Teachers attending Pet Care Trust Animals in the Classroom Workshops report that students want to participate in daily care of animals to insure their well being in the classroom. Well organized and supervised interaction with a variety of animals species can result in positive lessons through the daily care, feeding and cleaning of animals, which may engender a sense of cooperation among students and may foster responsibility and compassion for the needs of pet animals and other life.

The Synopsis of Findings of the "Survey of Pet Animals in the Classroom" by A.G. Rud and Alan Beck, are as follows:

- The types of animals kept in classrooms in this survey: 27.5%of the classes kept fish, 26.3% kept small mammals and 22.1% kept amphibians and reptiles. The balance of the animals were listed as invertebrate species, with birds being least commonly kept in classrooms.

- Elementary school teachers use companion animals to teach biology (life cycle, birth to death) and to teach proper care of animals, including the financial and human resources needed to keep animals healthy.

- Animals are studied and used to stimulate creative activities such as writing and art. They are also used to assist in the study of academic subjects and for observation of animal activity and behavior.

Teachers were asked to identify the types of activities with animals in classrooms and the reasons for having animals in elementary school classrooms:

- Activities:	Animals were studied in academic subjects	31%
	Animals were used in creative activities	27%
	Animals were observed by the students	22%
	Animals were cared for by the students	13%
	Animals had a calming effect on students	7%

- Reasons:	Animals provided enjoyment for students	37%
	Animals provided hands-on teaching	23%
	Animals provided psychological well-being	22%
	Animals provided responsibility lessons	10%
	Animals provided lessons on observation	6%
	Animals provided opportunity for caring	2%

Teacher Comments and or Suggestions:
- Nurturing: students clean aquarium, brush guinea pig, feed and care
- Biology: reproduction and the cycle of life process
- Economics: costs for food, bedding and supplies to maintain quality habitat
- Special Education: calming and human-animal bond formation

- Teacher Concerns about animals in their classrooms:
              - Care on weekends, holidays and vacations;
              - School policy that limits or prohibits animals;
              - Potential for allergies related to animals in classrooms.

Drs. Rud and Beck are interested in how human-animal interaction shapes, and possibly improves, learning in the classroom, as well as the lives of children. Through published articles, they have invited elementary teachers to share experiences about animals in classrooms and expand their data base.

The Pet Care Trust welcomes Pet Retailer comments regarding their interaction with schools and teachers. Over the past 2 years, the Trust has presented "Animals in the Classroom" full-day Workshop to 437 teachers at 15 seminar sites, and provided Teacher's Pet Certificates valued at $100-150, for teacher acquisition of equipment and materials at local pet stores. A new Trust program, "Animals To the Classroom" seminar for Pet Retailers will be presented at WWPSA's SuperZoo in Long Beach, CA, and the Backer Christmas Show in Chicago.