2029 - Animals as Part of the Instructional Program

Only animals that are part of the instructional program will be allowed in the classroom/school and must be preapproved by the principal. The use of animals in the classroom is appropriate when supporting a specific unit of study. Therefore these animals will be temporary in nature. Classroom pets are prohibited. Health issues (allergies and vaccinated status of the animal) involving students and staff shall be addressed before permission is given to allow the animal in the school. 

If an animal will remain at school when school is not in session, appropriate arrangements for the animal’s care must be made. It is the staff member’s responsibility to care for these animals. Animals will always be considered personal property, and as such, the teacher will be responsible for any expense for the animal. Animals must be under the control of their adult-owner, the teacher, or designated students at all times. Animals shall not be transported in a school vehicle. 

This policy does not apply to service animals for the disabled or police dogs. Service animals must be on a harness, leash or other tether at all times and the owner/handler must be in full control of the service animal at all times. A school may ask an individual with a disability to remove a service animal from the premises if the animal is out of control and the animal’s handler does not take effective action to control it or if the animal is not housebroken. Service animals may be prohibited from being on school grounds if the animal is deemed to pose a direct threat to the health and safety of others or disrupts the educational process. 

The purpose of this rule and regulation is to establish procedures for the safe handling and care of classroom animals. This regulation provides information on safety precautions to prevent or lessen the severity of personal injury or illness due to animals, actions to be taken in the event of injury or illness due to the animals, and a basis for humane treatment and handling of animals in the classroom. It is extremely important for students to always wash their hands before and after handling any animal. 

Special needs of students and animals include: 

1. Allergens associated with the animal, its food, and its bedding; 
2. Monitoring of student behavior to ensure that the animal will not be harmed; 
3. Plans for care and feeding on weekends and vacations; 
4. Plans for preventing unwanted procreation of classroom animals; 
5. Plans for taking care of the animal at the end of the school year; and 
6. Plans for the possible death of a classroom animal. 

Animals that are prohibited in classrooms/schools 

1. Animals that do not support a specific unit of study; 
2. Poisonous animals; 
3. Wild/Stray animals; 
4. Aggressive animals; 
5. Large snakes (> 5 feet); 
6. Parrots, parakeets, budgies, cockatiels, and other “hook billed” birds, as per WAC 246-100-201; 
7. Dangerous fish; 
8. Centipedes and millipedes; and 
9. Livestock (except for miniature horses that have been individually trained to do work or perform tasks for the benefit of an individual with a disability). 

Special Conditions for Specific Animals 

Specific recommendations should be observed for the following animals because of zoonotic disease that they can carry or because of certain behavioral tendencies. Staff will check with the area director of health services for current handling information before requesting permission to allow these animals in the classroom: 

1. Ferrets; 
2. Reptiles; and 
3. Amphibians 

The District understands that the hatching of chicks and ducks offers a unique educational opportunity to students. Therefore the hatching of chicks and ducks may be allowed in the classroom on a temporary basis with the following specific precautions: 

1. Children shall not be allowed to have direct contact with these birds or the birds’ cages; 
2. The birds’ cage must be kept clean; 
3. Soon after the hatching of these birds, they will be returned to their off-campus permanent home; and 
4. Baby poultry should not be kept in a classroom with children under the age of five years old.¹ 

Proper Restraint of Animals 

Because animals may react to being in an unfamiliar classroom situation, it is important to have an effective way to control them. Fear may cause an animal to attempt to escape or even act aggressively in situations that are unusual to them. Appropriate restraint devices will help the person in control to react quickly and to prevent harm to the students and the animal or the escape of the animal. 

Student Contact with Animals 

Even very tame animals may react aggressively in strange situations; therefore, student contact with animals should always be supervised and regulated: 

1. All student contact with animals must be highly organized and supervised; 
2. Children shall not be allowed to feed pets directly from their hands; 
3. Children shall not have animals in close contact with their faces; 
4. Children who handle animals must wash their hands immediately after handling them. 
5. Animals are not allowed in the vicinity of sinks where children wash their hands; in area where food is prepared, stored, or served; or in areas used for cleaning or storage of food utensils or dishes. Animals must also be restricted from sand boxes and other areas where students play; and 
6. Immunocompromised students may be especially susceptible to zoonotic disease; therefore special precautions may be needed to minimize the risk of disease transmission to these students. It is critical that parents be informed before animals are brought into a classroom. 

Process for Introducing an Animal into a Classroom 

1. Staff members who are considering using an animal as part of an instructional program should first notify the parents of all students who will come into contact with the animal. The staff member will give parents at least one week to voice concerns or give feedback before submitting the “Animals as Part of the Instructional Program” request form. It is important to make sure that no students in the classroom have any allergies associated with the animal. 
2. Staff members who plan to incorporate an animal as part of a specific unit of study must complete an “Animals as Part of the Instructional Program” request form. The form must then be submitted to the building Principal. 
3. The staff member requesting that an animal be allowed into a classroom must provide the principal with plans for the care and feeding of the animal on the weekends, how students will be protected from allergens and disease.

Prior to granting or denying requests to include animals in the school’s instructional program the Principal shall evaluate the following issues: 

1. There is an educational benefit to be gained by the inclusion of the animal in the instructional program; 
2. There is an appropriate plan for the control of the animal. Acceptable safety procedures and care plan have been developed; 
3. Any health concerns involving students, staff, or other animals have been thoroughly addressed. There must be evidence that written notice was sent to each student’s parent regarding the animal; 
4. The animal’s health, safety, and well-being have been appropriately evaluated. Further, the Center for Disease Control and Prevention recommends that a “certificate of appropriate veterinary care and verification of rabies vaccination must be provided prior to bringing animals into the school”. 
5. Animals’ bedding must be kept clean and dry and cages well ventilated. Depending on the animal, cages maybe required to be cleaned daily. Recommended food and water must be available to pets. A metal screen or net must be used to keep flammable bedding material from touching lights or heat lamps; and 
6. Sanitary issues have been addressed, the treatment of animal wastes and personal hygiene of students or staff in contact with the animal. 

ANIMALS AS PART OF THE INSTRUCTIONAL PROGRAM REQUEST FORM