Companion animals
Dogs, cats, pet birds, reptiles and aquarium fish: where each came from, how the pet trade grew, and a room that counts them: bred, sold, kept, adopted and killed.
Walk the wing
Dogs
From the wolf at the fire to the kennel club and the 68 million American households that keep a dog today.
Cats
The wildcat that chose the granary, a burial on Cyprus, the cats of Egypt, ship cats, and the cat on the sofa.
Pet birds
The rock dove, the canary in the mine, the budgerigar, and the parrots of the wild-bird trade.
Reptiles
The dime-store turtle, snakes bred for color, and the pets that escaped into the Everglades.
Aquarium fish
The goldfish of China, the tropical fish farms near Bradenton, and the reef-fish trade.
Bred, sold, kept, adopted, killed
The numbers behind the pets: how many are kept, how many are bred and sold, and what happens in shelters.
Next door in STEM
Pets come from every class of animal: each has a STEM hall next door.
What makes a mammal?PreviewPredict the dietPreviewWeigh the cost of warmthPreviewWatch one mammalPreviewWatch one bird (K–2)PreviewWhy are they different colours?PreviewCount properlyPreviewIs a bird a dinosaur?PreviewIs a tadpole a fish? (K–2)PreviewTwo waters, one wallPreviewIs a dolphin a fish?PreviewCount the kindsPreview
Drawer: Friendly Beasts: Next door in STEM
NGSS: 1-LS1-2 2-LS4-1 MS-LS1-4 MS-LS2-2 MS-LS4-1