FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE

Pets in the Classroom Grant Program Launches ‘Tell a Teacher” and “Sponsor a Teacher” Campaigns 

Businesses and individuals now have the opportunity to sponsor specific teachers and schools to receive a classroom pet as well as easily pass on information about the educational grant program.

The Pet Care Trust is pleased to announce the launch of the “Tell a Teacher” and “Sponsor a Teacher” campaigns.  The two new campaigns will provide businesses and individuals with the opportunity to spread the word about the teacher grant program or to sponsor specific teachers, schools, and school districts in receiving a Pets in the Classroom grant.

Established by the Pet Care Trust in 2009, Pets in the Classroom has provided over 13,100 grants to Pre-Kindergarten through Eighth grade teachers to purchase or adopt a new pet and required equipment or to support existing classroom pets. The growth of the program and the outpouring of thanks from grant recipients have led the Pet Care Trust to create the “Sponsor a Teacher” campaign to encourage businesses and individuals to donate financially to the local community through this beneficial program.  Not only will the donation be tax-deductable, but it can also benefit the donor’s chosen teacher or school directly by specifying who the grant money should be awarded to.  Potential donors can learn more about sponsoring a teacher by visiting www.petsintheclassroom.org/sponsor-a-teacher.

While the Pet Care Trust is seeking sponsors for the grant program through “Sponsor a Teacher”, it still has the goal of providing classroom pets to 1 million children in 30,000 classrooms across North America.  With this in mind, the Pet Care Trust has also created the “Tell a Teacher” campaign to allow people to easily let teachers know about the grant program through a simple online form on the Pets in the Classroom website at www.petsintheclassroom.org/tell-a-teacher.

“We are nearly half-way toward reaching our goal of bringing classroom pets to 1 million children”, commented Steve King, executive director of the Pet Care Trust. “The Tell a Teacher and Sponsor a Teacher programs will help us spread the program to even more schools and connect donors to classrooms in their communities.”

The Pets in the Classroom program benefits students by teaching them responsible, long-term pet care at an early age and providing the psychological and developmental benefits associated with the human-animal bond.  Studies have shown that caring for pets has a positive effect on children, improves school attendance, teaches children responsibility, encourages nurturing, and builds self esteem.

For more information on the Pet Care Trust and the Pets in the Classroom grant program or to learn more about the “Tell a Teacher” and “Sponsor a Teacher” campaigns, visit www.PetsintheClassroom.org.

Pets in the Classroom Program Launches New Pet Supermarket and Carolina Biological Supply Grant Options

The Pet Care Trust’s educational grant program expands to include additional opportunities for elementary school teachers to obtain classroom pets.

The Pet Care Trust is pleased to announce an expansion of its successful Pets in the Classroom program through partnerships with pet supply retailer Pet Supermarket and science and math education supplier Carolina Biological Supply.

The new partnerships will provide elementary school teachers with six different grant options to aid in funding a classroom pet, allowing teachers to find the option most suitable to his or her needs. “We are delighted to have the support of a growing number of pet product companies that understand the importance of teaching kids about responsible pet care,” commented Pet Care Trust executive director Steve King. “In the next few weeks, we will issue our 10,000th Pets in the Classroom grant, and the number of grants will continue to grow rapidly thanks to the generous support of all our sponsors.”

Pet Supermarket, a chain of more than130 pet stores located primarily in the Southeastern U.S., will become the third pet retailer to partner with the Trust to provide a custom coupon grant for teachers through the Pets in the Classroom program. Specialty pet retailers PETCO and PetSmart began issuing custom coupons for teachers last fall and have provided more than 4,000 classroom grants to date.  These grant options provide approved teachers with coupons redeemable at retail stores for the essential supplies required for the classroom pet, as well as a coupon valued at 50% off the everyday retail price of the animal.

Carolina Biology Supply, the largest supplier of science kits to schools throughout the U.S., will aid the Trust in providing a grant option specifically for teachers interested in obtaining fish for their classroom. The Carolina Biological Supply Grant will provide the teachers who opt for this grant option with an aquarium and three GloFish® that will be shipped directly to them.

The other two grant options available to teachers include the Rebate Grant, which allows teachers to purchase a new classroom pet and supplies and receive reimbursement from the program for up to $150, and the Sustaining Grant, which allows teachers with existing classroom pets to be reimbursed up to $50 each year for needed pet supplies.

The Pet Care Trust is a non-profit, charitable, public foundation that is instrumental in the sponsorship of programs supporting companion animal welfare and the benefits of owning companion pets as well as the development of educational programs demonstrating the importance of responsible companion animal ownership.  To date, more than 9,300 grants have been awarded to teachers through the Pets in the Classroom program.

For more information, or to apply for a grant, please visit www.petsintheclassroom.org.