Two ferrets attend school
Winnie and Bear attend school every day. While the ferrets skip the reading, writing and arithmetic, they still get involved in learning at St. George’s School.
Lower School Principal Nancy Spencer brings her pet ferrets to the school, where they usually stay in a cage outside of her office. She takes them home each night.
With pointy noses and curious eyes, they seem to relish their star status as children pass them in the hallway. They get held by Spencer sometimes when she greets students at the door, or they get prime-time attention as she reads “Never Tease a Weasel.”
“Sometimes I have them around for pet therapy,” Spencer adds. “If children get upset, the ferrets can help get their minds off whatever is bothering them. Just the idea of holding a furry little pet is comforting.
“The emotional upset just seems to flow away and you can talk to them.”
Two bunnies also take up residency at the private school on what was once Louis Davenport’s summer estate. Second-grade teacher Cindy Mahan has Bun-Bun, a light brown rabbit that sits in a huge corner cage. The bunny named Lopper rests in teacher Rachel Peters’ fourth-grade class.
“I think having a pet in the classroom helps bring the classroom together,” Peters says. “There’s a sense of community. It dispels myths that they stink or bite. It lets kids have a good experience with animals and to learn about them. It also builds a lot of friendships among the children.”
Spencer started bringing Winnie and Bear to school about three years ago.
When she reads “Never Tease a Weasel” to younger students, Spencer makes a point to explain the ferrets’ skeletal structure and need for gentle care.
She shares a poster filled with ferret facts. “I explain they are part of the weasel family. It helps them understand not to squeeze too tightly around their delicate rib cage and to be careful with them around heavy doors.”
Children in nearby fourth-grade classes sign up to care for the ferrets during breaks.
“Ninety-five percent of the kids love them, and then there’s the 5 percent who don’t, and they just stay away.”
Winnie and Bear also go to the Davenport home for special birthday teas with five or six children who have birthdays around the same time. Spencer sends invitations, explaining that Bear and Winnie will also be guests.
She has the children wash their hands after supervised handling of the ferrets. Winnie and Bear have all their current shots and are healthy, Spencer adds, and the school checks on any allergy issues for a child.
Because of allergy and safety concerns, some school districts offer policies for pets in the classroom.
Spokane Public Schools’ guidelines say small animals such as guinea pigs, hamsters and mice “can make very good classroom pets” with the principal’s approval, parent notification and precautions such as: “Leather gloves must be worn when handling animals. Hands must be washed after gloves are removed.” Accommodations must be made for any students with allergies.
The Coeur d’Alene School District policy includes language that approved animals in schools often provide a variety of learning experiences, but should be balanced against health and safety. It calls for teachers to make sure students are not allergic.
Spencer prefers ferrets because they cause the least amount of allergy problems, she says.
“Actually I’m very allergic to cats. One reason I like ferrets is that I don’t react to them. If a child is worried, they just stay away. I’ve never had any problems.”
Ferrets love to play, but they also like human touch and lots of attention, Spencer says. As she strokes under Winnie’s neck, the ferret throws back her head and closes her eyes.
“They are very gentle. You have to teach them not to bite when they’re young. They’ve never bit anyone.”
The pets also are very smart, Spencer explains. “They come when you call them unless there is a lot of excitement around or they’re up to something. They’re kind of a combination between a cat and a dog. They’ll follow you around.”
Overall, Spencer is hooked on the ferrets’ seemingly endless cheerfulness.
“They either sleep or play. They always seem happy. There are no complex emotions.”