Pets in the Classroom Reaches Over 200,000 Students

The Pet Care Trust is pleased to announce that the Pets in the Classroom program received over 7,000 requests for grants in the program’s first two years. Established in 2009, Pets in the Classroom provides grants to pre-kindergarten through sixth grade teachers to purchase or adopt a classroom pet and required equipment or to support existing classroom pets.

In 2010, its first full year of operation, the program awarded 2,060 grants to teachers and more than tripled its number of requests in the second year. With an average classroom size of 30 students, the program has brought a pet into the lives of 210,000 students. The large increase of applicants in the second year is due in part to the addition of the Petco and PetSmart coupon programs to the Pets in the Classroom program.

The Pets in the Classroom website was re-launched on August 2 to include the Petco and PetSmart coupon programs, in addition to the standard redemption program for independent retailers. On the first day of the re-launch, Pets in the Classroom received more than 50 applications. This pace continued as nearly 100 requests came in each day in the first five weeks.

While the 7,000 grants are making a great impact, the organization is still a long way from its goal of reaching 1 million children in 30,000 classrooms across North America. The Pet Care Trust is looking for companies or individuals that are willing to sponsor classrooms. A donation of only $100 will help reach 30 students with a program that is instrumental in teaching students responsible, long-term pet care at an early age.

For more information on the Pet Care Trust and the Pets in the Classroom grant program, visit www.PetsintheClassroom.org.