Classroom Pets

Classroom pets provide students with a fun source of hands-on learning. The upkeep and care of these animals teach students compassion and responsibility, as well as how to be respectful to living things. Pets have also been found to reduce stress and alleviate anxiety. For more information about the benefits of classroom pets, visit https://petsintheclassroom.org/benefits-of-classroom-animals/. 

Here is some important information you'll need before getting a classroom pet:

1. Get your administrator's approval before getting any classroom pet.

2. Review the National Science Teaching Association's (NSTA) position statement: Responsible Use of Live Animals and Dissection in the Science Classroom.

3. Review the information on page 60 of the Texas Education Agency's (TEA) Texas Safety Standards regarding live animals in the classroom.

4. The Science Department created an online self-paced course in Cornerstone called Care and Safety of Animals in the Classroom. We strongly recommend completing this course.

5. Consider speaking with a professional or someone who has experience caring for the type of pet you plan to get to make sure that pet is a good fit for you and your students.

Almost any classroom pet costs money to feed and maintain. Some classroom pets can be quite expensive! Three grants that are available for Dallas ISD educators can help with this.

First is the Junior League of Dallas Grant for Innovative Teaching. All Dallas ISD educators are eligible to apply for funding up to $2,500 for innovative teaching projects for all grade levels and subjects. Educators can use this grant to purchase anything they need for their pet (as long as the vendor is an awarded vendor through the district).

Second is a Pets in the Classroom Grant. There are various grant options available for Dallas ISD educators. Pets in the Classroom is an educational grant program that provides financial support (up to $125) to teachers to purchase and maintain small animals in the classroom.

Third is the TEXAS YES Grant presented by Thomas J. Henry. This grant focuses on STEAM education.

The State Fair of Texas Grant supports the following: Economic Development, Capacity Building for Nonprofits, Educational Programming, and Social and Racial Justice. The grant supports initiatives in the aforementioned areas in 75210, 75215, 75223, and 75228 with some limited support for work in the southern sector of Dallas that impacts residents in the South Dallas/Fair Park neighborhood. Organizations within a ten mile radius of the Fair can apply but know that their priority is the South Dallas/Fair Park community and organizations that offer services in this area. Grant funding ranges from $5,000 to $10,000.