Boy Petting Snake, Photo by James Emery

Children benefit from exposure to pets in the classroom in ways that help shape their lives for years to come.  Founded by the Pet Care Trust, the goal of Pets in the Classroom is to establish healthy child-pet relationships at an early age by supporting responsible pet care in elementary and middle school classrooms. By providing grants to teachers, the Pets in the Classroom program hopes to reach 1 million students in 30,000 classrooms across North America.

Act Now!

Here’s how you can help:

• “Like” the Pets in the Classroom Facebook page and share with your friends and family.
• Visit the Pets in the Classroom website to learn more about this program.
• Share the information with your employer, civic organization, or any other group you think may be interested in sponsoring a classroom.

Why It Matters

Established by the Pet Care Trust in 2009, Pets in the Classroom provides grants to pre-kindergarten through eighth grade teachers to purchase or adopt a classroom pet and required equipment or to support existing classroom pets.  Four types of grants are available: 1 – rebate grants in the amount of $100 (for small animals or birds) or $150 for reptiles or fish; 2 – sustaining grants of $50 for existing classroom pets; 3 – Petco grants (coupons for the purchase of the animal, habitat and supplies at Petco stores) and 4 – PetSmart grants (coupons for the purchase of the animal, habitat and supplies at PetSmart stores).

In its first full year of operation, the program awarded 2,060 grants to teachers. Having received over 7,000 requests in its first two years of operation, the Pets in the Classroom program more than tripled its number of requests in the second year. With an average classroom size of 30 students, the Trust has brought a pet into the lives of 210,000 students.

While the 7,000 grants are making a great impact, the organization is still a long way from its goal of reaching 1 million children in 30,000 classrooms across North America. The Pet Care Trust is looking for companies or individuals who are willing to sponsor classrooms. A donation of only $150 will help reach 30 students with a program that is instrumental in teaching students responsible, long-term pet care at an early age.

For more information on the Pet Care Trust and the Pets in the Classroom grant program, visit www.PetsintheClassroom.org.

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