Pet Therapy

Please welcome Mesi and Metai, our school guinea pigs.  

Our students are very excited about our new pets and there are many benefits to having a classroom pet:  

Pets Enrich the Classroom Experience:  

• Even children with no exposure to animals or nature in their home environment can see, feel, touch, and make connections to the wide world of animals.  
• Observing and caring for an animal instils a sense of responsibility and respect for life.  
• A pet brings increased sensitivity and awareness of the feelings and needs of others—both animals and humans.  
• Kids learn that all living things need more than just food and water for survival.  
• Students will see directly how their behaviour and actions affect others.  
• The presence of animals tends to lessen tension in the classroom.  
• Pets Bring so Many New Ways to Learn: 
  • Math (“How much does a guinea pigs weigh?”)  
  • Science (“What does a guinea pigs eat?”)  
  • Grammar (“What words would we use to describe our pets?”)  

Throughout the school year each student will have the job of class “zoo keeper”. This student/s will be in charge of helping us care for our guinea pigs throughout the week in the classroom. We will also need volunteers to bring our guinea pigs home over holiday breaks to care of them. 

Pet Care Rules:  

• I will treat our class pets with kindness and respect.  
• I will be gentle with our class pets.  
• I will not do anything intentionally to our pet that will cause him to bite or scratch