Pets in the Classroom

I will be honest no matter how badly this makes me look. I hate do not like animals. No matter how much I try and even hearing people say bad things about people who don't like animals, I just can't do it. My mom had a dog when we were growing up and I was never attached to it. I am terrified afraid of a cat scratching me, a dog biting me, bunnies attacking me, etc. Yes, I know it sounds silly. I even attempted to have pets for my son and we made it with 2 hamsters whom I never held and barely touched with one finger since one was fat and furry. We even attempted a cat and a dog until we found them new lifelong owners (for other reasons that weren't because of me :) )

 

I know, so what is the point of this post on my teaching blog? Well, I am a real trooper if I do say so myself. I always have classroom pets for the kids. I get a little hesitant since the cost can be a little overwhelming in the beginning, but I take one for the team the class and have had hamsters (I never touched!), fish, turtles, frogs, and now hermit crabs (because I didn't know it was all a lie that they were easy to  maintain). 

So in July, I found this grant called Pets in the Classroom. They give grants to classroom teachers to allow them to obtain a classroom pet! How cool is that? The program is through The Pet Care Trust. There are two different ways to do it. If you are getting a typical pet from like Petco or Petsmart (the animals are listed) they just give you a voucher. Since Petsmart stopped offering the hermit crabs this way, I had to purchase the animal and supplies and get reimbursed for $100. Yes, the whole $100. I had an aquarium donated by a student and her family so I was able to use the extra for additional shells, food, substrate, etc.

 

Therefore, enter Hermie & Hermietta....

and we can't forget little Flipper (who is one hungry fish)!