The teacher must assume primary responsibility for the safety of the children and the well-being of the animal.
When animals are in school they must be properly housed, have adequate food and water and their pens must be kept clean.
Teachers considering allowing animals in the classroom must check for any known allergies/fears among the students in the class. If allergies/fears, parents must be contacted for further direction before an animal is brought in.
Building principals shall be aware of the presence of animals used in the day-to-day operations of classrooms where the animals are normally used in the course of study. Or in the classrooms where they are normally displayed for educational purposes.
Only the teacher or students designated by the teacher are to handle the animal.
Students and teachers should report all scratches, bites and other animal-related injuries, allergies or illness to the school nurse/aides for appropriate care.
If animals are to be kept in the classrooms on days when classes are not in session, the teacher must make arrangements for their care and safety. All classroom animals will be taken home during summer vacation.
Animals are not to be transported on school buses.
Animals trained, or being trained, to assist persons who are physically impaired shall have access to district property and district-provided transportation.
Any animal exhibiting signs of illness or distress should be removed from the classroom and veterinary care should be recommended to the owner.
Live organisms brought into the classroom by non-district personnel for demonstration purposes are the sole responsibility of the presenter and must be removed at the end of the presentation.
Teachers should be familiar with the needs and behaviors of a given species prior to its introduction into the classroom. Plans for the future care of or disposition of animals at the conclusion of the study must be developed before introduction of the species into the classroom.
Live animals should not be released into the environment.
Reptiles may be maintained in the classroom by a person who is knowledgeable in reptile husbandry and who uses recommendations of the public health department pertaining to reptiles.
Field Trips and Specimen Collecting:
Teachers who maintain Wisconsin specimen collections and/or who collect specimens anywhere in Wisconsin must secure a collectors permit from the Department of Natural Resources and must comply with Wisconsin Statute 29.17.
Field trips to sites such as local natural areas, farms and zoos are encouraged. Learning objectives should be delineated and guidelines for appropriate student behavior outlined before the trip. Permission slips shall be used to inform parents/guardians of the trip.
Teachers and students should take care not to harm the natural environment.
Dissection:
Dissection shall be facilitated by appropriately trained personnel. The dissection activities must be appropriate to the maturity level of the student.
Carefully planned objectives should be developed before selecting dissection as a classroom activity.
Teachers should instruct students on safety precautions including personal safety, tool usage and specimen handling and disposal prior to dissection activities.
Student views or beliefs sensitive to dissection must be considered; the teacher will respond appropriately.
