Exciting things are happening at The Pet Care Trust! Read the press release below to learn more about the exciting pilot program that has launched!
The Pet Care Trust Joins Forces with Pet Partners to Launch Dogs in the Classroom Program
The Pet Care Trust, a non-profit organization whose mission is to enhance students’ educational and personal development through interaction with pets in their classrooms, is proud to announce its partnership with Pet Partners, the nation’s leading organization registering therapy animals for animal-assisted interventions, in launching the Dogs in the Classroom program. The pilot program will provide interactions with registered therapy dog teams in approximately 100 classrooms in select markets across the country, helping more students experience the benefits of the human-animal bond. The pilot, which will run through the 2021-22 school year, will allow the program to prepare for expansion to more classrooms in future school years.
Research proves there are social, behavioral and academic benefits to student interaction with pets in the educational setting. Classroom pets can help improve academic performance, increase reading competency, and reduce school-related stress, which can positively improve academic performance. They can also help improve children’s engagement and learning of social and emotional skills, thereby aiding children in developing a sense of responsibility and sensitivity towards others while increasing their confidence.
The Dogs in the Classroom program will help The Pet Care Trust bring these benefits to teachers and students beyond their existing program, Pets in the Classroom, which is an educational grant program that provides funding for a small animal or pet supplies to pre-kindergarten through 9th grade teachers in both private and public schools who desire to introduce a pet into the classroom or who already have a pet in the classroom.
“The Pet Care Trust welcomes the collaborative partnership with Pet Partners whose therapy animal teams have impacted millions of lives,” said Matt Coffindaffer, Executive Director of the Pet Care Trust. “We are thrilled to launch the Dogs in the Classroom program for the students, teachers and communities we serve. Dogs in the Classroom will provide educators unique opportunities to educate and develop students and improve their health and well-being through interaction with dogs. I would like to thank our sponsors and supporters for making this dynamic new program possible.”
“We are proud to partner with The Pet Care Trust to help expand our Therapy Animal Program into additional classrooms to help more students experience the benefits of the human-animal bond,” said Pet Partners President and CEO C. Annie Peters. “We are excited to work with an organization that shares our passion for promoting the positive effects people experience when interacting with companion animals.”
Together, Pet Partners and The Pet Care Trust will help students in classrooms across the U.S. and Canada experience the positive effects of the human-animal bond. To learn more, visit https://petsintheclassroom.org/dogs-in-the-classroom-educational-program.
About The Pet Care Trust:
The Pet Care Trust is a non-profit, private foundation that promotes the public understanding of the joys and benefits of pets through education, support and interaction. In 2010, the Pets in the Classroom grant program was established by the Pet Care Trust with the knowledge that classroom pets can be a valuable teaching tool that many teachers do not have access to because of a lack of funding. The program provides financial support to teachers to purchase and maintain small animals in the classroom, providing children with an opportunity to interact with pets—an experience that can help to shape their lives for years to come. Since its inception in 2011 through September 2021, Pets in the Classroom has awarded over 194,289 grants to teachers, meaning an estimated 7.7 million children have experienced the joys and benefits of pet care through the grant program. For more information on The Pet Care Trust, visit www.dbf9eaf4ed.nxcli.io.
About Pet Partners:
Pet Partners is the leader in the therapy animal field for registering volunteer teams. Since 1977, we have supported thousands of teams in making millions of safe, effective visits across the country and around the world. Through the human-animal bond, we can improve the physical, social, and emotional lives of both the people and animals involved. Pet Partners supports volunteer teams by offering the highest quality preparation, an unmatched approach to evaluation and registration—for nine different types of animals, and a focus on connections. We elevate the importance of therapy animal visits, and our teams help build a healthier and happier world for us all. Whether or not you have a pet, learn more about sharing the human-animal bond by visiting www.petpartners.org.
