(PRESS RELEASE) FOREST HILL, MD — The Pets in the Classroom grant program announces the results of its 2025 teacher survey. The survey, which polled teachers across the United States and Canada who have received funding for classroom pets through their grant program in the past two years, received an overwhelming response, with over 1300 teachers participating. The survey findings emphasize the numerous ways that classroom pets have a positive impact on students, from enhancing social-emotional development to improving academic engagement to fostering a love for learning.
Ninety-nine percent of respondents said that having a pet in the classroom has been a positive experience, and teachers reported that interacting with classroom pets helped improve attendance, reduce anxiety levels, foster empathy and compassion, enhance test and academic performance, develop social skills, boost self-esteem, and decrease disciplinary measures. The data, coupled with the comments that teachers shared through the survey, demonstrate the impact classroom pets are making:
Attendance: 76 percent of teachers saw an improvement in attendance due to their classroom pet. One teacher shared, “This year, we welcomed a leopard gecko into our classroom, and it’s had a surprisingly powerful impact—particularly on student attendance. Several students who previously struggled with consistent attendance are now excited to come to school each day, eager to check in on our gecko, help with its care, and observe its behavior.”
Decreased anxiety: 94 percent of teachers observed a reduction in student anxiety. A teacher noted, “My hamster has been a source of comfort, emotional support, and helps ease social anxiety in my classroom. I have had students come to my room just to be able to hold the hamster because they needed that comfort that only a pet can give. I have seen students go from being extremely upset to calm and ready to learn just from holding our pet.”
Empathy/compassion: 97 percent of teachers saw an increase in empathy and compassion. One teacher said, “I didn’t realize how much of a difference a classroom pet would have on empathy and cooperation. Students who have conflict are happy to cooperate to care for the pet. Students who are atypical are easily included in the pet experience.”
Test/academic performance: 75 percent of teachers saw an improvement in academic performance. One teacher shared, “I had a student that had absolutely no interest in school or participating in any classroom activities until she started earning ‘guinea pig bucks’ to spend time with our classroom pets. She was so motivated, she brought her grade up and started improving her social skills. They were the key to her academic and social engagement.”
Responsibility: 97 percent of teachers saw an increase in student responsibility. “It has helped my children understand responsibility and caring for a living creature. Having a responsibility to help take care of someone other than themselves is a big job. Every week I have different children help care for our pet whether it is adding food, changing the water, or even changing the bedding.”
Self-esteem: 90 percent of teachers observed an improvement in student self-esteem. One teacher wrote, “I have a student who is very active and needs to be helpful for her self-esteem. She takes care of our leopard gecko daily and this helps her to give her a sense of purpose and responsibility.”
Increased social skills: 94 percent of teachers noted stronger social skills in their students. “Having a pet in the classroom has brought kids to working together that never would have worked together in the past—for the good of the pet,” one teacher said.
Student engagement: 97 percent of teachers reported increased engagement. One teacher shared, “I have multiple students that have gone from being somewhat indifferent to engaged (and requesting to take on a responsibility with the tank)! As a science teacher, it has provided an opportunity to link many of our lessons to something tangible, which has increased interest for several students!”
Decrease in necessary student disciplinary measures: 84 percent of teachers saw a decrease in student disciplinary issues. “I use my classroom pets as incentive for behavioral challenges. I cannot trust my students to feed our fish if they are not following safe class expectations. They love to have the job of feeding my fish, so they strive to make safe choices in my classroom,” a teacher explained.
The statistics, coupled with the heartwarming comments shared by teachers about how pets are transforming their students’ lives, truly show the impact of the program. One teacher stated, “Having a classroom pet has brought our class together in ways I never imagined. They’re learning science, responsibility, and compassion—all through caring for a tiny living creature.”
The Pets in the Classroom grant program was established by the Pet Care Trust with the knowledge that classroom pets can be a valuable teaching tool that many teachers do not have access to because of a lack of funding. Since the program’s inception in 2010, Pets in the Classroom has issued over 263,000 grants. This means that an estimated 10.5 million children have experienced the joys and benefits of pet care through the program.
As teachers look for more ways to support their students in the upcoming school year, the Pets in the Classroom grant program is ready to help by providing funding for classroom pets to Pre-K–12th grade teachers across the U.S. and Canada beginning July 1, 2025.
Learn more about the Pets in the Classroom grant program by visiting www.PetsintheClassroom.org.