The spring season signals the start of pet days at Marlborough primary schools, with lambs, horses, chickens and rabbits grazing and pacing the school fields instead of their usual paddocks and gardens.
Taking care of these animals during a pet day is a big job for parents, with many taking the day off work or visiting school during their lunch hour – but they don't seem to mind.
Fairhall School held their annual show day yesterday, with all the usual pet suspects such as guinea pigs, ponies, lambs and goats, and a somewhat unconventional pet skink named Grinader.
Mum Deidre van Velthooven said transporting 12-year-old daughter Eloise's 2 1/2-month-old lamb, Molly, could be a bit tricky. "She has been known to jump over the back seat," she said.
Mrs van Velthooven's six children have always taken care of their pets during show day, she said.
The family, who own about 8 hectares of land, keep about 13 sheep on their property and always have a host of pets, including rabbits and chickens.
Joanna Grigg said eight-year-old daughter Emma's Shetland pony, Jigsaw, caught a ride on another parent's horse float, but would have to be ridden home.
Emma also brought along her two lambs.
"It is an effort [to bring Jigsaw to school] but it's all worth it. It's what the children remember – pet days," she said.
Teacher and organising committee member Katie Bradley said the day was easily one of the highlights of the year for the pupils.
She said children without pets did not feel left out either because they could enjoy other's pets and entered indoor competitions such as egg sculptures, pet rocks and Lego sculptures.
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