Animals in the Classroom

Having an animal in the classroom has long been considered an enriching experience and a great way to help students understand certain concepts of life. It is important to pause and consider how the animal and your class might benefit from this arrangement before deciding whether or not to adopt.

Pros:
• Students learn responsibility, compassion and respect
• Students may become more engaged in lessons which incorporate an animal
• Animals provide a living example when discussing certain scientific concepts
• Animals can have a calming effect on a classroom (example: need to remain calm and quiet for an animal)
• The animal may have excellent opportunities for socialization
• Teachers have the opportunity to be role models of responsible pet guardians

Cons:
• A classroom can be a stressful environment for animal
• Each animal has specific needs which are essential to its health and well-being that may be difficult to provide in a classroom setting
• The animal may prove to be a distraction in a classroom
• If proper hygiene protocols are not followed, animals can be a vector for disease and/or parasites
• Animals can be extremely vulnerable to any number of hardships without proper care and supervision, which may subsequently require veterinary attention.

If you decide that an animal is right for your class the following conditions must be met. Submission of an adoption application for a classroom animal implies agreement to these conditions:

• The animal is adopted by an individual, for example, the teacher — not a class or other group of people. This means the adopter is personally responsible for the animal’s health and well-being.

• The animal must be taken home with his/her owner overnight, during weekends and school breaks.

• The animal does not go home with students.

• The animal must never be left outside without proper safety precautions or at night.

• To support you in caring for your pet, the Education coordinator at The Marin Humane Society will bring two presentations to your classroom every academic year to provide educational programs for your class. The first one will be given before an animal is adopted (pet needs, teaching compassion and respect). The second and any subsequent educational presentations will be given as follow up, to compliment the teacher's lessons.

• Permission from the school’s principal or appropriate administrators must be attained prior to adoption.

• If there are existing class pets, we must be able to verify that the additional animal in the classroom is appropriate.

Suggestions:
• Certain types of animals may be more appropriate for your classroom
• Certain animals may be much happier in pairs
• Create a budget for the necessary costs of food, supplies and housing prior to adoption
• Write a letter home to the students' parents at the beginning of each new academic year