Pets Are For the Best

Class Pets Offer More Benefits Than Harms

Photo by Jill Nissen on Unsplash

The class pet has been around for decades, and while tens of thousands of teachers purchase one every year, some are still confused on a pet’s function in the classroom. However, class pets are known to bring positivity, teach responsibility and instill a positive attitude towards education.

Pets bring positivity and support students emotionally because they make school enjoyable and fun. Pets are known to relieve stress and anxiety with their friendship. In fact, 74% of pet owners in the U.S felt improvements in their mental health since they bought a pet. A study done by the American Human Association also showed that “children who cared for, and interacted with, classroom guinea pigs demonstrated significantly greater increases in social skills and decreases in problem behaviors” when compared to peers who did not have a class pet.

Including pets in the classroom teaches students to take care of other living things. Students are educated on awareness and how to care for the needs of others. Taking care of a pet teaches responsibility but also gives a sense of accomplishment when a student successfully tends to the class pet. Students can learn how their actions affect others by observing the pet’s habits.

“Being around animals is extremely good for children,” pediatrician Dr. Harvey Markovitch said. “They’re good for morale and teach children about relationships and about the needs of another living being – learning to care for a pet helps them to learn how to care for people.”

Class pets give students a positive outlook on school. Having a pet in the classroom increases the average amount of days students return to school because they look forward to interacting with the class pet. Pets can also be used for learning. If a writing assignment involves their class pet, a student is more likely to care about the assignment.

Some say that a class pet comes with costs. However, pets can be cheap, so their benefits heavily outweigh the small fees. A goldfish and its food costs just $7 at Petco. These costs are negligible compared to the benefits the pet will provide. Having a class pet fosters learning and a positive outlook on school, resulting in more education for students, which is the primary goal of school.

If you are a teacher, purchase a pet for your classroom today and see firsthand the benefits they provide for you and your students.