A New Brunswick animal shelter has come up with a creative way to help reduce the number of pet surrenders.
The shelter is launching a classroom guinea pig fostering program called “The PAW Pal Academy” to help educate students about the responsibilities of owning a pet.
“We would like to educate children about the responsivity of having pets, the cleaning and it is not just mom and dad who have to do it in a classroom it becomes the responsibility a task that usually the teacher rotates between students,” said Stacey Picard, the social media manager for People for Animal Wellbeing in Moncton, N.B.
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The unique program will be placing guinea pigs that have been surrendered in classrooms for temporary stays of up to a few months at a time.
“This way the teachers would not have to adopt. They would not have to have a long term responsibility it would be short term,” said Picard.
Picard said they chose guinea pigs because the animals are generally friendly and easy to handle.
Schools will be provided a cage along with food and bedding for several weeks. Students can then fundraise and plan out a budget to care for their new classmate for the remainder of its stay, said Picard.
“So it is really good for math skills and planning arts because they can also build some little cubbies for them because guinea pigs love hiding,” said Picard.
The guinea pigs also benefit from more social time, according to Picard.
She said it’s a creative way to help reduce the number of pets that arrive at the shelter. She would like to see other shelters team up with schools across the country.
“So that way when they get older there is less surrendering of animals,” she said.
The principal of Birchmount school in Moncton is considering taking in a classroom foster animal.
“I think animals in schools are amazing. I would completely be up for that and be a guinea pig for that project,” said Christa Martin.
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