Would you believe that people at the Cunniff School have more horses for pets than guinea pigs?

Well it’s true.

The Cunniff Kids News took a poll of 42 students, parents, teachers and staff and 30 of them said they had pets. Dogs were the most popular (15 people have a total of 19 dogs), followed by cats (10 people, 13 cats), and fish (7 people, dozens of fish). People said they also had bunnies (4), horses (2), hamsters (1), guinea pigs (1), and parakeets (1).

The pets have some interesting names. Danny, a fifth-grader, has a bunny named Pancake; Judy Kearney, who teaches first grade, has a dog named Duncan; Megen, a second-grader, has a dog named Freckles; and one of the parents has a hamster named Bubbles, who is very fat and eats peanut butter.

The pets came from many different places. Pancake lives with Molly, a chocolate Lab, who was adopted from a rescue shelter.

The pets are kept in different places, depending on the animal. Pancake sleeps outside in a cage. Matthew, a first-grade, has a dog named Ella who stays in the back yard. Second-grade teacher Elizabeth Uccello has a cat named Zoe who stays inside.

Not everybody polled had a pet, but some of them said they wanted one. For example, Mena Ciarlone, a fourth-grade teacher, and Olivia, a student, both said they wanted a dog.

(Story reported and written by Cunniff Kids News staff reporters Emilee M., Kaitie M., Charlotte V., Robert K., Tommy S., Derek S., Dylan S., Brian A., Shannon M., Ryan O., Kaitlyn R., Fatima B., Timmy C., Matt D., David K., Jie Sen L., Tia P., Devin S., Renee S., Elizabeth A., Catherine C., Angela M., Yassmine B., Ryan L., Rose M., and Katelynn O.)

–May 15, 2008–