BRUNSWICK, Ohio–Not every kid looks forward to the school day, but students at Willetts Middle School say they can’t wait to see their newest classmate.
At a staggering 6-inches tall, everyone can’t get enough of his soft brown and black locks.
“He’s really special and he likes food. And and and, he’s cute and he’s fuzzy and he likes to play,” said student Katia Demchuck.
So just who is this new guy? Porkchop, a class pet for the special needs classroom.
“The first day was awesome. They were thrilled when we got porkchop at the Piggy Palooza,” said teacher Mandi Nowak, who came up with the idea. “Whenever we get him out, they get so happy and excited. They talk amongst each other. They talk to Porkchop.”
Each day, students take care of their guinea pig by playing and feeding him.
“I like Porkchop,” said student Sydney Powell. “He eats carrots, oranges and lettuce.”
But not every moment with their new friend is a joy.
“Cleaning the cage gets a little rough,” Nowak said. “They’re not exactly fans of doing that, but it’s a part of their jobs.”
Of course, Porkchop isn’t just a hit in Miss Nowak’s classroom. In fact, this guy is stirring quite the buzz all over school.
“I love Porkchop,” said student Tiffany Nagorka.
Nowak said the class was fortunate to have such success with their first pet.
He gives these students a chance to interact with others at school–an opportunity that’s rare to come by.
“Porkchop gives them a bit of an outlet to start a conversation with other students and they can talk back and forth about the animals,” Nowak said. “They have lots to talk about when it comes to animals.”
A local Petco donated Porkchop, his cage and supplies to the class. Students said they are grateful to have their new pet as a part of the classroom.
“Thank you, Petco” said student Christian Davis. “He is an awesome animal. He’s an awesome guinea pig.”