Supporting Teachers, Inspiring Students: Understanding the Pets in the Classroom Grant Program

Teachers play a crucial role in shaping the minds and futures of their students. They constantly seek innovative ways to engage and inspire their students. The Pets in the Classroom Grant Program offers teachers a unique opportunity to support their mission. The program provides grants for classroom pets, fostering an environment of learning, compassion, and excitement. Let’s learn more about the Pets in the Classroom Grant Program and explore how it supports teachers and benefits students.

What is Pets in the Classroom?

Pets in the Classroom is a grant program that provides funding toward a classroom pet and supplies to pre-kindergarten through 9th grade teachers in both private and public schools. Through the program, teachers can get an initial grant to help with the cost of purchasing their pet and its supplies, and then a sustaining grant each successive school year to help with the continued cost of caring for the pet.

What is the Purpose of the Pets in the Classroom Grant Program?

The Pets in the Classroom grant program supports teachers in enhancing students’ educational and personal development through interaction with pets in their classroom. While classroom pets are a valuable teaching tool, many teachers have very limited resources they might use for a classroom pet. The program provides funding to teachers to enable their students to interact with pets daily—an experience that can help to shape their lives for years to come.

Why have Classroom Pets?

Our program has shown that classroom pets have a profound impact on students and the overall classroom atmosphere. According to studies and teacher feedback, interacting with a classroom pet can:

  • Teach empathy and compassion.
  • Facilitate student responsibility.
  • Increase student engagement.
  • Improve attendance.
  • Develop social skills.
  • Reduce anxiety.
  • Improve students’ self-esteem.
  • Decrease disciplinary measures.
  • Improve test/academic performance.
  • Develop friend making skills.

More specifically, teachers have shared the value of the program and the impact it is having through our annual teacher survey in which we survey grant recipients on their classroom pet experience. Here are the results of the 2022-23 school year survey:

pets in the classroom 2023 teacher survey results

How is Pets in the Classroom Making a Difference?

From the program’s inception in 2010 through the June 1, 2023, almost 229,000 grants have been issued to teachers, meaning an estimated 9.1 million students have experienced the joys of interacting with and caring for pets through our program.

Here is what a few teachers shared with us:

“We have a student that has a lot of trouble regulating his emotions. Our bearded dragon became his “best friend”. Whenever he was feeling upset, he would go to the cage and take out the dragon to “cuddle”. It really helped him to calm down!”

~Pamela Keller

class pet

“One of my most antisocial students loves our class gecko.  He has become the classroom expert on Crested Geckos and he reminds whomever is the pet caretaker about their responsibilities. He has become more socially involved thanks to Mumble.”

~Stacy Lund

“We have a fish in the classroom.   All 4th grade classes have struggled with behavior at lunch time.  As an incentive, each time they filled their behavior jar, we added a fish to the tank.  We now have 6 fish and a snail!   My students love our tank.  We have learned so much about natural aquascapes, chemical changes in the water, and we have enjoyed our “visitation hours” with the fish during independent work.  Thanks so much for helping us learn so much.”

~Kimpha Chau

“I had an inclusion classroom that had students at various reading levels. One of my students, who was a struggling reader, was intimidated to read aloud in small group or one-on-one conferencing. However, she loved to pull up a stool and read to Herman, our class fish. Herman would swim up to the glass when he saw her. It was very sweet to see her have a “reading buddy” that made her feel secure and was a safe space. Thank you for helping create this opportunity in my classroom.”

~Sally McDiffitt

class pet fish aquarium

How Can You Support Pets in the Classroom?

The Pets in the Classroom Grant Program serves as a valuable resource for teachers, empowering them to create a welcoming and enriching educational environment. The positive impact of pets on students’ social, emotional, and academic development is truly remarkable. Pets in the Classroom strives to continue providing grants to teachers so they can impact the lives of millions more children across the United States and Canada. Here are a few ways you can help:

Understanding the Pets in the Classroom Grant Program

Just for Fun

The Grant Process

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