Woodland school celebrates pets

Cash, a gray and white cockatiel, perched on the head of 4-year-old Natalie Towle. The cockatiel then began tugging at the barrette in her hair before taking flight around the room to the delight of the other children.

Amanda Money brought her array of pets to her early childhood special education class at Woodland Primary School in Gurnee recently as part of "Pet Day." The children were introduced to Cash, Razor and Pinkie and then allowed to handle the cockatiel, bearded dragon, and leopard gecko. Also, walking around the menagerie was a therapy dog named Sneakers, who is a regular visitor to the classroom every Friday.

Money began working at the school eight years ago and almost immediately thought of bringing the animals to the classroom so that the students could relate to the various pets.

"I saw that, when animals and kids get together, it brings a lot out in kids, like communication and respect for animals," explained Money when asked how the program got started. "As I saw that the kids could communicate more, I thought bringing animals into the room could help them. They love to hold them and they think it is funny to put the bird on their head. So they really enjoy it. They come in the whole day and they're so excited."

According to Money, Pet Day helps to teach the children about different animals that they can have as pets and to get them familiar and comfortable with holding them. The hope is that if children are exposed to animals early, they won't be afraid of them later on.

Sneakers was saved from Hinsdale Humane Society in 2006 and shortly became a fixture in Money's classroom. The mixed-breed dog became trained as a therapy dog and, in addition to the school, travels to assisted living and nursing homes to interact. In the classroom, Sneakers walks around to the students looking to be petted, bringing squeaky toys and just wanting to play.

"I like Sneakers," replied Leslie Guerrero, 4, as the dog roamed behind her," because he likes to come and play with the blocks with me."

The children also nervously watched as Razor, a bearded dragon, was brought around so that they could learn about the lizard and then pet it. Overcoming their fear, they soon held the spiny animal on their laps and laughed as its tongue lashed out.