Benefits of High School Pet Clubs

They foster responsibility and compassion among students.

Benefits of High School Pet Clubs

Dachshund student puppy sitting in front of a school blackboard

Student libraries are more likely to have a book with an animal protagonist on their shelves than a human one. Why is this so? Children have an innate fascination and love for animals at particular stages of their lives. The animals they view in the books increase their curiosity, and they wish to see the animals in reality or even have them as pets.

Some educational institutions have seen the importance of animal clubs as part of their curriculum to help them improve their studies. Additionally, with the improvement in technology, students can use the EduBirdie platform and employ their essay writing services. So how do high school clubs help students? We have the guide.

Why Have High School Pet Clubs?

Since the COVID-19 pandemic affected the world, studies have shown that there have been 3.2 million pet purchases in Britain. These include animals like:

Birds
Cats
Dogs
And others

Since there was no physical education, educational institutions had to look for innovative alternatives to ensure their students enhanced their communication and language skills. One of the ideal methods is to buy animals for them.

Furthermore, students have the ability to understand whether they like animals and can become rescuers in the future. Even after the pandemic, some schools find having clubs for the graduates significant.

Here are some reasons students need a pet club in high school.

It Impacts Responsibility

Having pets in schools gives the graduates a sense of responsibility. This is because the students can alternate between cleaning, feeding, and giving the animal water, among other forms of care.

With time, the responsibility extends even to their assignments and at home when they do chores, even without parents forcing them to do so.

In order to help students develop responsibility for a short while, some schools may permit students to bring pets home.

It Leads to Compassion

According to research by the Pew Research Center, bullying is a big problem, especially in high schools. In 2015, nearly 75 percent of parents had concerns that their children were being bullied.

Some high schools are teaching graduates how to be compassionate toward each other by introducing clubs to reduce bullying. For instance, having a disabled pet in the school teaches the students to love and care for one another regardless of disability or race.

Schools may establish programs that foster understanding and compassion among graduates by leveraging the connection between youth empathy and pets.

Diverse Learning Curriculum

High school pet clubs give teachers the opportunity to present a variety of subjects that are all focused on the animal itself.

Teachers might lead their subjects based on the animals in their clubs. For instance, students are able to write a biology essay about the pet’s ecology or reproductive system functions, among other topics.

Increases Classroom Activities and Inspires Nurturing

Senior Adult Man With His Dog, heart-to-heart talk.

Students who don't have animals at home may benefit from the opportunity to interact with the pets in the schools. These graduates might find the clubs fascinating, leading to improvements in their class attendance as well.

They will be more enthusiastic to attend various classes each day. Regarding nurturing, graduates can improve their nurturing qualities and feel more accountable through student pet care education.

Should Schools Allow Students to Bring Pets?

Children in library with reading assistance dog

A club enhances the student's responsibility and compassion toward the pets and other students. However, should a high school or college accept student pet ownership? It depends on different factors, like ethical factors.

Depending on location, some schools allow students to bring their pets to school, while some do not. Organizations such as PETA oppose students bringing pets to schools due to ethical considerations.

One of the ethical considerations is the health and safety of other students. For example, a student with a hedgehog as a pet may endanger the lives of other students since the animal contains spines. Additionally, some students have anxiety or phobias about different animals. This affects the ability to concentrate and study in school.

In some cases, students may have allergies to certain pets. Therefore, many ethical factors must be considered before bringing a pet to school. Students should consult their teachers before taking any animals to school.

Solutions Teachers Should Offer to Students Bringing Their Pets to School

Teachers should do a lot of research concerning the kinds of pets students should bring to school. They should consider if the type of animal fits the environment best and is safe for students.

However, that does not mean every specific dog or cat is safe. The educational institution should perform a thorough risk assessment and have a strategy for any response regarding whether the pet attacks or becomes sick.

Bottom Line: Animals Can Help Students Learn

One of the most proven ways students are able to boost their studies is through animals. Pets provide an excellent way to make students more responsible and compassionate to other students and teachers.

The best way to bring a class together is to incorporate an animal into a shared activity, like writing an essay about its adaptation to its environment. Thanks to technological advancements, you can now use Edubirdie for your essay writing assignments and receive excellent, plagiarism-free essay writing services.

This article is in partnership with Linkbooster.