In addition to companionship, affection, love and company, a top benefit of owning pets includes teaching children responsibility. According to APPA’s 2011 / 2012 National Pet Owners Survey, 58 percent of small animal owners rank teaching children responsibilities as a key benefit in owning pets, followed by 44 percent of equine owners and 43 percent of reptile owners, reinforcing the idea that pet ownership is, in fact, a great teaching tool for children.
“It’s refreshing to see children not only helping to care for their pets, but learning valuable life lessons and responsibilities from them as well,” said Bob Vetere, president of APPA. “There are so many joys and benefits pets of all types bring to our lives, and they truly help instill responsibility among children from ensuring they have plenty of food and water to helping them receive daily exercise and play.”
Celebrating the joys and benefits pets bring to the lives of children specifically, APPA is currently accepting poems for its 4th Annual Pets Add Life Children’s Poetry Contest.
“Every submission we receive for our Children’s Poetry Contest is the child’s expression of just how much their pet means to them and the happiness these companions bring to their lives,” said Vetere.
Students in grades 3rd-8th are invited to write a unique poem about a pet, what they love about them, the joys they bring, and then post it online at www.PetsAddLife.org or mail their final poem and submission form to: Pets Add Life, 661 Sierra Rose Dr., Reno, NV 89511. Deadline for submissions is January 31, 2012 at 5:00pm EST.
One student from each grade level (six total) nationwide will win a $250 gift certificate for pet products, and a “by-line” in a nationally circulated publication. In addition, the six winning students’ classrooms will each win a $1,000 scholarship to spend on pet related education.
To learn more about the Pets Add Life Children’s Poetry Contest, and see current submissions, visit www.petsaddlife.org.
