Please review the Terms below and familiarize yourself with the FAQs on our website BEFORE APPLYING FOR A GRANT
1. Grant Purpose
All Pets in the Classroom grants are intended to support pets or aquariums in the classroom for the purposes of teaching children to bond with and care for their pets responsibly. The welfare of the animals involved is of paramount importance. These grants must not be used for the purposes of research or experiments of any kind.
A “Pet in the Classroom” is defined as a pet that resides in the classroom (a small animal such as guinea pig, lizard), and not a pet that visits the classroom (such as a cat or dog).
Grant approval is at the sole discretion of the Pet Care Trust.
2. Grant Definitions and Amounts
Please be advised that all of our grants are intended to help teachers get set up with a classroom pet, and are not intended to cover all set up costs or the costs over the lifetime of the pet. When considering adding a pet to your classroom, consider your ability to pay out-of-pocket expenses from purchase costs of the pet to the costs over the pet’s lifetime.
Grantees are only eligible for one grant per school year. Grantees are eligible for one initial grant per lifetime, and are then eligible for the $50.00 Sustaining grant each school year thereafter.
Rebate Grants (Initial Grant)
Rebate Grants are valid for up to $125 for an aquarium, reptile, amphibian, or up to $75 for small animals. The $125 rebate and $75 rebate grants have separate applications and teacher may only apply for ONE. Rebate Grants are meant to be used at local independent pet retailers and pet specialty stores. Mass retailers (Walmart/Target) and grocery stores are not qualifying retailers.
Store Grants (Initial Grant)
Store coupon grants are available from Petco, PetSmart (US/Canada), Pet Supplies Plus, Petland (US/Canada), and Pet Supermarket. Available animals through those grants are listed in the sample coupons on our website. Teachers may only apply for ONE. Grantees are responsible for adhering to all store coupon policies. NOTE: All coupon items are subject to availability.
Sustaining Grant
If a store grant or rebate grant was received in any prior school year, teachers are only eligible to receive a $50.00 Sustaining Grant to be used to support current pet or to purchase a new pet for their classroom. Available ONCE per school year.
3. Grant Eligibility and Use
Eligibility
TEACHER MAY ONLY APPLY FOR ONE GRANT PER SCHOOL YEAR. TEACHER MAY ONLY RECEIVE ONE INITIAL GRANT (STORE OR REBATE GRANT) PER LIFETIME, EVEN IF THEY CHANGE SCHOOLS. TEACHER IS ELIGIBLE FOR ONE SUSTAINING GRANT EACH SCHOOL YEAR THEREAFTER.
Pets in the Classroom grants are offered to Pre-K through 9th Grade teachers in public and private schools only. Grants are available in the US, Puerto Rico, and Canada. Home daycares, home school settings and grade 10-12 classrooms do not qualify for grants at this time.
Permissible Use
A “Pet in the Classroom” is defined as a pet that resides in the classroom (a small animal such as guinea pig, lizard), and not a pet that visits the classroom (such as a cat or dog). Only small mammals, birds, fish, reptiles, and arachnids. Only pets for child bonding and support.
For store coupon grants only, teacher may only redeem the animal and products provided on the store coupons. All items are subject to availability. Call your local store to confirm availability and coupon policy before redeeming your grant.
For rebate and sustaining grants only, teacher may purchase a pet, habitat, food, bedding, toys, gravel, filters, lights, or anything else required to support the pet and keep it healthy and happy.
For rebate and sustaining grant only, gift cards are only permitted at pet specialty stores (such as Petco, PetSmart (US/Canada), Pet Supplies Plus, Petland (US/Canada), and Pet Supermarket, local independent pet retailers and pet specialty stores), and can purchased for future use of live food or perishable supplies only.
Prohibited Use:
Certain State and city regulations prohibit the sale of certain pets. Contact local store/check local laws to verify availability in your area.
Caterpillar/butterfly environments, insects, egg incubators, worm/composting environments, and livestock such as chickens, goats, etc. are not considered pets in the classroom and are not eligible for grant funds.
Not for experiments of any kind.
No dogs, cats, or other large house pets.
There are no product substitutions on Store Coupon Grants.
Rebate and Sustaining Grant money may not be spent for overhead or administration. Money must be spent on the purchase of the pet, pet environments, pet food and supplies for classroom pets – all supplies used to care for the pet as well as the pet itself are qualifying expenses.
4. Account Creation
All applicants will need to create an account on the Pets in the Classroom website in order to apply for a Pets in the Classroom grant. Applicants are only allowed ONE account. This one account will be used each school year to apply and receive grants.
Accounts must be created with a home/personal email address and not a school/work email address.
Teacher will need to access their account throughout the grant process.
NOTE: Pets in the Classroom started using a new grant system as of April 8, 2023 and our login screen and grant application links were all updated. If applicant’s most recent grant was received PRIOR to April 8, 2023, they will need to create a new account. If applicant’s most recent grant was received AFTER to April 8, 2023, they will need to use their existing account.
5. Grant Fulfillment Schedule
Store Grants
Teacher submits grant application. Add mail@grantapplication.com to list of addresses and safe senders to ensure our emails are received.
Teacher receives grant approval confirmation and coupon access/download instructions via email within 14 days after submitting their application. If teacher does not receive approval email, check junk/spam folder of both home/personal emails before reaching out. Grant applications are reviewed and during high volume times it may take up to two weeks or more to get approval or other correspondence.
Teacher uses coupons by coupon expiration date of June 30, 2025.
Rebate and Sustaining Grants
Teacher Submits grant application. Add mail@grantapplication.com to list of addresses and safe senders to ensure our emails are received.
Teacher receives grant approval confirmation and reimbursement instructions via email within 14 days after submitting their application. If teacher does not receive approval email, check junk/spam folder of both home/personal emails before reaching out. Grant applications are reviewed and during high volume times it may take up to two weeks or more to get approval or other correspondence.
Teacher uploads receipts is within 90 days of grant approval. Delayed submissions will be accepted but no absolutely no receipts will be accepted after MAY 31, 2025. If receipts are not uploaded by May 31, 2025, then TEACHER MAY NOT BE REIMBURSED.
Teacher receives mailed rebate check within 6 to 8 weeks after receipt upload. During peak times, it may take longer for check to arrive.
NOTE: Pets in the Classroom process hundreds of reimbursements per week with a very small staff, so it does take some time to review each upload.
6. Reimbursement Procedure (Rebate and Sustaining Grants Only)
Requirements
In order to receive reimbursement, Pets in the Classroom prefers teachers shop at local independent pet retailers and pet specialty stores, where pet supplies are the primary merchandise. Teachers may also purchase online from an authorized pet store. Receipts from Amazon, Chewy, Dubia Roaches, etc., will be accepted.
All receipts must be ITEMIZED, show the TOTAL amount charged as well as METHOD OF PAYMENT. If a receipt from an online order does not show method of payment, teacher will need to submit a copy of bank or credit card statement that matches the total on the receipt.
Receipts must be uploaded within 90 days of your grant approval. Receipts uploaded after May 31, 2025 WILL NOT BE ACCEPTED. All receipts MUST BE uploaded at the same time to your account. Only ONE check will be sent out per school year. Teacher should keep original receipts for their records.
Prohibitions
We will NOT ACCEPT receipts from grocery stores or mass retailers such as Walmart, Target, Home Depot, etc.
7. Modifications
Changing Animal Choice
Teacher is only permitted to change animal selection once per year. Teacher is only permitted to change animal section if they have not already redeemed any portion of their grant.
Store Grants
To change pet selection, teacher will need to reapply for the grant. Teacher will send voided store coupons to Pets in the Classroom by email to delete current grant. Teachers then waits for email confirmation that grant is deleted before reapplying, otherwise, the new application may be declined.
Rebate and Sustaining Grants
To change pet selection, teacher will send request to change animal selection by email. Pets in the Classroom will send email confirmation once animal selection is updated.
Changing Grant Types
Teacher is only permitted to change grant type selection once per lifetime. Teacher is only permitted to change grant type section if they have not already redeemed any portion of their grant.
Store Grants
To change grant selection, teacher will need to reapply for the grant. Teacher will send voided store coupons to Pets in the Classroom by email to delete current grant. Teacher then waits for email confirmation that grant is deleted before reapplying, otherwise, the new application may be declined.
Rebate Grants
To change grant selection, teacher will need to reapply for the grant. Teacher sends request to change grant selection by email. Teacher then waits for email confirmation that grant is deleted before reapplying, otherwise, the new application may be declined.
Sustaining Grants
Teacher is only permitted to change sustaining grant selection if they have not already been awarded an initial grant in their lifetime.
To change grant type selection, teacher will need to reapply for the grant. Teacher sends request to change grant selection by email. Teacher then waits for email confirmation that grant is deleted before reapplying, otherwise, the new application may be declined.
8. Transfers
Grants are not transferable. Only the teacher listed on the application can redeem store coupons or be reimbursed for rebate or sustaining grants. Checks for rebate or sustaining grants will be made out to the teacher, not the school.
9. Termination and Withdrawal
Teacher is only permitted to terminate grant if they have not yet redeemed any portion of their grant.
Store Grants
To terminate a grant, teacher will send voided store coupons to Pets in the Classroom by email. Pets in the Classroom will then send email confirmation of cancellation.
Rebate and Sustaining Grants
To terminate a grant, teacher sends request by email. Pets in the Classroom will then send email confirmation of cancellation.
