This mad me a little bit mad..

[oOtearsinheavenOo]

"We are a special education class in Burns Oregon and we are looking for a small pet for our class room. We would like a gerbil, hamster, or guinea pig. We have a limited budget. The animal would be well cared for and spoiled. We would like the animal to be use to being handled and good with kids"

This is an add that I found on our local CraigsList website where you can advertise something for sale, or something that you would like to buy. I sent this woman an email with some tips about guinea pigs, if she chooses to get one. It's just.. I don't think that it would be very happy :(

[dazie]

Have to agree i remember pets in classes when I was young and they got to go home with someone in the hols they often went missing etc poor little things. They would be better off letting someone bring animals to them on a regular basis, pets that are trained to be handled and petted.

[cavy love]

I don't think it's very fair too have pets in classrooms! :( We had a guinea-pig in our class when i was little, called Beanie. I loved it, but it got totally neglected, even though i tried to look after it. My Mum even bought a run for it, cos it didn't have one. it was couped up in a tiny cage aswell!! >:( >:( >:(
Also, in another class we had a hamster and a girl took it home for the hols. Her dog ate it! >:(

[kezza30]

I don't agree with pets in class either, they just won't get proper care ina class where there cage space would be limited :( We had 2 gecko's in our science class, so at lunch kids where allowed to go in and see them and the went home with the science teacher cos they where his petsanyway :)

[Jane]

I HATE class pets. It's horrible, the kids are mean to them and they end up in small cages the majority of the time. I know there was someone either on here or another forum before who are a teacher and take their pigs to their classroom occassionally, I think that is okay aslong as they supervise the kids well ;)

[PiggyLoon]

I remember in my year 3 class we had a hamster (called Roberta!) - which looking back now is really cruel, but of course we all loved it at the time ::) We all took turns taking her home which must have been really stressful for her... poor little mite! She also had babies (god knows how she got preggers cos she was on her own!) and we were warned not to stress her out too much or make much noise cos she might eat her babies through shear anxiety! :P Thing is its a classroom and theres no such thing as being quiet! Cant remember if she actually did eat any!

I dont agree with class pets at all.

[oOtearsinheavenOo]

Well I think it's horrible because yeah it's fun for the kids, but the teachers should know better. :(

When I was little and in class - we had FISH! Seems a little more okay to me.. They got fed and didn't need played with. I won the drawing to take them home at the end of the year and they lived for years after! (about 5) and then they passed away. :(


But, This animal is going to be so sad and so neglected.. Can you imagine the fingers being poked into her/his cage? And the fact that it clearly says "limited budget." What about vet bills if something happens? This is horrible..

[Froohit]

Well, I don't agree with classroom pets either, because classrooms can be very noisy etc. and I don't think a small animal would like it very much. When I was in Reception, I have vague memories of a hamster, which although was loved, I don't think it would have liked us gaping it all day and prodding our fingers between the bars :-\ - I suppose we didn't really know any better at 5 years old!

I think although it can be educating for small children, and it would help them learn more about animals and how to treat them, I don't think small animals should really be subjected to so many owners, all wanting to hold them all the time, and I know my Guineas need a lot of time on their own and in quiet or they get grumpy!

Froohit =]

[oOtearsinheavenOo]

I definetely agree; needless to say she never responded to my email.. I wasn't rude or anything, though. I just gave her alot of information about guineas that would hopefully make her think twice.

[amziiacid]

well we were pretty happy just watching the fish but i don't understand why classrooms need pets anyway

[Jillybean]

I'd rather pets were kept out of the classroom too. Although having said that, it's what got me into guinea-pigs to start with as there were babies born and me and my sister had one each. You sometimes hear of schools that have been broken into and set fire to or vandalised - I'd hate the thought of there being animals that they could mess about with.

[smiler]

I think it is a good idea to teach kids how to look after and treat animals (parents seem less and less bothered these days...just think of all the young teenagers breeding badly and where are the parents?? ::) >:( )

But like someone said, maybe having someone that has tamer and more 'experienced' animals ;D could take them in once a month to show the kids...or someone from a rescue could go in and give a talk...

Its a nice idea in theory, but a classroom is a horrible environment for a small animal to be in! :(