Do you have a pet? More than half people who own a home in the U.S. have a pet, according to Forbes magazine online. “Dogs are the most popular pet in the U.S. (65.1 million U.S. households own a dog), followed by cats (46.5 million households),” states the website. Ava Samuels, a 6th grader in Patrick M. Villano School, has a dog.
“I wanted to get this animal because I found a super cute dog and named her Penny,¨ Samuels said. ¨When I didn’t have Penny, I could not worry if I accidentally dropped something on the floor, but now I immediately worry, and I have to pick it up in fear that she’ll eat it.¨
Elizabeth McClafferty, the 6th grade Science teacher, currently has one cat, two dogs, and a bearded dragon.
“I enjoy having animals for so many reasons,” McClafferty explains. “I feel like being raised around animals helps to teach children kindness and empathy as well as a sense of responsibility.”
Both of her children have specific tasks to help care for the family pets.
“Animals love you unconditionally, and everyone needs a bit of them in their lives,” McClafferty added.
Arya Sontag, a 6th grader, has two cats and one dog named Bluey, Cleo, and Reggie respectively.
“I wanted to get these animals because they are so cute, fluffy, and social!,” Sontag said. “Bluey is a very affectionate Bernese mountain dog who thinks she’s a lapdog even though she’s 70 pounds, whereas Cleo and Reggie are torbie/maine coon siblings who are very different.”
Sontag said her pets love to sit on her lap while she does schoolwork on the Chromebook. McClafferty agrees that her pets also seek a lot of attention, but she wouldn’t have it any other way.
“Try painting a room with a dog that won’t leave your side and you’ll end up with a very colorful dog,”she explained. “Rainstorms are a bit more complicated when you have to walk a dog and both you and the dog end up soaked. Cats like to be fed on schedule and they are not shy at all about reminding you., so say goodbye to sleeping in late on the weekends, but it’s all worth it because they are happy snuggling with you during a nap and that is one of the greatest feelings in the world.”
