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The Pets in the Classroom grant program, which provides funding to teachers to purchase and maintain classroom pets, has issued more than 15,500 grants to teachers during the first two months of the program being open for the 2022-23 school year (Aug. 1 – Sept. 30).

Established by the Pet Care Trust, the Pets in the Classroom grant program 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 program was established by the Pet Care Trust with the knowledge that, while pets are a valuable teaching tool, many teachers have very limited resources for the support of classroom animals.

“The Pets in the Classroom grant program is thrilled to be able to support so many teachers in their desire to provide the joys and benefits of interacting with a pet to their students,” said Matt Coffindaffer, executive director of the Pet Care Trust. “We have seen a large increase in grant applicants this school year and will continue to provide this resource to teachers throughout the school year.”

The increase in grant applications is not surprising, as many educators reported observing more social, emotional and behavioral challenges in their students returning to the classroom after the pandemic last year, organization officials said. As studies prove and teachers confirm, classroom pets serve as a much-needed resource for students who are experiencing anxiety, difficulty focusing, self-control problems, or who just need a friend.

Through a survey conducted this spring by the Pets in the Classroom grant program, teachers across the U.S. and Canada shared valuable insight into the multitude of ways that students are benefiting from interacting with pets in an educational setting:

98 percent of teachers saw an increase in empathy and compassion, thanks to a classroom pet.

• 98 percent of teachers saw an increase in student responsibility.

• 98 percent of teachers saw an increase in student engagement.

• 96 percent of teachers saw an increase in social skills.

• 95 percent of teachers saw some decrease in anxiety among students.

• 94 percent of teachers surveyed saw an improvement in students' self-esteem.

• 90 percent saw a decrease in necessary student disciplinary measures.

• 86 percent of teachers saw an improvement in attendance due to their classroom pet.

• 84 percent of teachers saw an improvement in test/academic performance.

The survey results, which included hundreds of stories shared by teachers, reinforce the results of numerous studies: there are many benefits that pets can provide to students, especially in the form of social-emotional support. The teachers’ stories describe children who were able to overcome anxiety upon returning to school, those whose anger and behavioral issues subsided after a classroom pet helped them learn empathy, those who became motivated in learning, and more, officials said.

Since the program’s inception in 2010, Pets in the Classroom has awarded more than 218,215 grants to teachers, meaning an estimated 8.7 million children have experienced the joys and benefits of pet care through the grant program, officials added.