Hen

Jack Berg, 12

What is your hen’s name? 

“We have a bunch of different batches, so once they stop laying eggs we give them to [BV graduate] Yahir [Vanvollenhoven’s] family. The first batch we named because it was special since we never had them before. I named mine Brent even though all [hens] are girls. I named her Brent because of the dude Brent in the movie ‘Cloudy with a Chance of Meatballs.’ Then she died of heat exhaustion because my sister accidentally locked her up in the pen.”

Snake

Siler Tschirhart, 11

Why did you decide to purchase a snake?

“My dad does it because there’s lots of different breeds, and you can sell them on the market. There are lots of hobbies that [come] with that.”

Where did you get them?

“People trade with one and other, so you can get them at pet stores, and some people that have the

m just as a hobby. There are reptile shows, and basically those are big convention centers where people bring reptiles, and they sell them.”

Horse

Annika Rimmer, 10

Why did you decide to buy your horse?

“I’ve been riding since I was little, and you kind of need a horse in order to.”

Can you describe your horse?

“I have three horses, all three of them are bays, so they have a brown body and black hair. Two of them are super tall and 18 hands. One of them is a little 15.1-[hand] horse.”

Turtle

Katie Beth Jones, 12

What is your turtle’s name? 

“His name is Roberto.”

Why did you decide to purchase this pet?

“I didn’t really purchase it; I kind of caught it. No one needs to know that, because I’m pretty sure it’s illegal. I found him, and I’ve always really liked weird animals, and I like to keep them as pets when I catch them. I just like to look at them.”

Service Dog

Sami Bamber, 12

What is your dog’s name and why did you get it?

“He is a golden retriever-labrador mix — his name is Sonny. We got him as a service dog for Sean, my little brother who has cerebral palsy and is legally blind.”

What types of things does your dog do?

“Sonny opens doors, helps my brother take off his socks, grabs toys for my brother if he is using his canes, pulls the laundry basket down the hall and he loves climbing into your lap. Sonny is also trained to notice when Sean is distressed — he will sit next to him to try and comfort him.”

How has having a service dog helped you and your family?

“It has been huge for Sean — Sonny attracts people to Sean, so Sean is able to meet and talk to new people. He is also a big help around the house. Sean walks with canes, so Sonny is great at helping him carry items, like blankets and toys. Sonny also helps Sean open the fridge and other doors.”