Episode 2 Pet School

Hello, I'm Luke Franks and welcome to day two at Pet School.

It's going to be another packed day for our Pet Heads.

And yesterday there was drama. There were tears with chickens.

There was bonding with dogs. And there was quite

a lot of confusion as well.

But that was just day one. Today we are getting tough.

Should that be woof? Probably not.

Nine pet-crazy kids.

I'd like to have a dog.

I'd really like a rabbit.

-I'd really want a pet rat.

-101 animals needing care and attention.

SHOUTING

Two incredible weeks.

SCREAMING

But have our pet lovers got the animal know-how?

To persuade their parents they've got what it takes,

to look after a pet of their very own?

Has she proved to you she can be a responsible pet owner?

Is she getting a pet?

On today's Pet School a game of gerbil hide and seek

leads to a race against time.

Ow!

And star of Tracy Beaker Returns and The Dumping Ground Noah Marullo

drops in to surprise the Pet Heads.

Every day at Pet School begins with morning assembly.

Don't be late, Pet Heads.

-Morning, Pet Heads.

-Hello.

-Morning.

Come and grab a seat.

Pet School, day two. And yesterday was good, there was mixed results.

William, yesterday in pet practice you had the dogs.

Yeah, pretty fun, what did we learn from yesterday?

We need to feed dogs to be able to keep them alive.

-Yeah, basic stuff, isn't it? Not just treats all day?

-No.

That's fine, good stuff.

Well, the animals are waiting to be looked after, to be cared for,

so let's put you in your pet practice groups for today, OK.

Group one, then is Lauren, Thomas and Faramarz.

You are going to be in bug city.

ALL GROAN

I'm talking cockroaches. I'm talking snails, millipedes,

lots and lots of legs.

How are we feeling, Lauren?

Some bugs freak me out, but most of them I'm fine with.

All right, cool. We'll see how you get on.

OK. Group two, Courtney, Ananya and Tommy, you are with the gerbils.

-Yes!

-You like that?

-Yes.

-Why do you like it?

I like it because I think gerbils are really cute.

OK. Group three. Sam, William, Chloe.

You guys are going to with the ferrets, outside.

-Yay!

-Cool.

-Now yesterday some of you guys didn't

complete your pet practice task.

And it was day one, we're going to put it down to nerves.

We'll let you off. But from today -

if you don't finish the tasks,

you are going to lose time with your pet buddies.

You are not going to be able to hang out with them,

until your tasks are finished.

SHE SIGHS

It's quite tough, right.

It's all part of being a responsible pet owner.

If you want to prove to your parents you can do it, you can have a

pet at home, this is part of it, OK? But for now, your pets are waiting.

They are not going to clean themselves or feed themselves.

Get to it. Go, go, go, go, go.

I think our new pet practice rule has got

some of the Pet Heads worried.

I'd be quite sad if I lost time with my pet buddy Clark.

But I'd have to try to make it up to him somehow.

I hope we pass the task today,

because I want to spend more time with my animal.

Same here.

See, I want to pass it because I'll let you down,

but I really don't want to spend much time with mine.

It's a goat!

I love my bearded dragon, Leonardo.

I can't believe we're going to lose time for our pet buddies.

I'm very worried cos I think we're going to fail.

Our Pet Heads really want their parents to buy them

a pet of their own.

And pet practice is an important way of proving

they can be responsible pet owners.

But still a little way to go. Can they work as a team?

Or will they just bug each other?

Bug each other, good one.

Faramarz, Lauren and Thomas will need to make sure

they don't work through their creepy crawly check list at

a snail's pace, if they want maximum time with their pet buddies.

Welcome to the bug room, we need to change the bramble,

in the stick insect enclosure.

Change the food in the land snail and cockroaches enclosure,

spray water in the millipede enclosure.

"You have 45 minutes to complete the pet practice.

"Faramarz, you are the team leader, good luck."

Someone's happy about being team leader.

-What is this for?

-Change the bramble.

-What is this?

-Right, I'll spray the millipede.

-That's a stick insect.

-What is in that one?

-Cockroach.

-Are you sure?

-Look, come here.

-Oh!

-Cockroaches are fine.

So, we need to take the whole thing off or just this?

OK, I'm just going to open it. They shouldn't attack.

It's moving a bit.

-It's moving a bit.

-Close that, close that.

Our millipedes may look like they have 1,000 legs,

but they only have between 40 and 400.

-I'll open this one.

-Grab it.

-There you go.

Oh, sugar plums.

-THEY LAUGH

-I've got it.

Sorry, mate, but things have to be done.

And also needing to be done are the gerbil tasks in the furries room.

Where things are going slowly, thanks to some fast rodents.

Oh, ow!

If we can catch them.

I need to see where they are, I can't find them.

Get it, get it. Mind the tail, mind the tail.

You need to catch those gerbils, team.

You only have 45 minutes to change their bedding, feed them,

and make them a gerbil hotel.

I'm really nervous about time now, aren't you?

Yeah, I am, but don't get too panicked.

Right. OK, keep calm.

I'm the team leader.

We'll just have to work quicker.

-I didn't realise.

-We'll just have to work quicker.

-OK.

Once we've got them all out, yeah.

-Don't panic. So once we get them out...

-Work quick.

-We can do, literally straight in.

-"Work quick, literally straight in."

Got that, Courtney?

Courtney is 11 years old, and lives with her mum, dad and sister.

She likes football, designing clothes and playing the cups.

So, Courtney, what's your pet situation?

My mum has two parrotfish.

I think the parrotfish are quite boring.

Cos you can't do anything with them.

That's why I'd like to have a dog.

BARKS AND GROWLS

So, what's the problem, Mum?

At the moment she can't even keep her room clean,

so having a pet is a bit of hard work cos she's not

going to be able to clean it up.

If I was to have a dog, I would pay attention to my room and to the dog.

So what does Courtney need to prove at Pet School, Dad?

If she can show us that she can be responsible, she can be clean,

she can be tidy, then maybe she can get a small pet.

Courtney, what do you think your chances of getting a pet are?

99%.

VINYL RECORD SCRATCHES

THEY LAUGH

99% sure!

Over at the ferrets, Sam and William are making new friends,

while team leader, Chloe has chose to get task supplies.

They must check Smokey and Flint's ears for wax.

Change their bedding, and make them a swimming pool.

-You hold it.

-You hold it.

-Stay, nicely, stay.

-(Nicely.)

Do you know what ear wax looks like?

Not really. Come here, come here, nicely. Nicely.

-Oh, that's got no ear wax, check that ear.

-Nicely.

There's no ear wax in that one.

This pet practice is going really well,

but Smokey and Flint, weren't always this well cared for.

Our two friendly ferrets came to Pet School from a rescue centre

where they lived with their friend Dora.

Tell us more, Marie.

Smokey arrived after being found all alone in a house.

He was starving and you could really see all his bones.

And he really was struggling to walk.

Smokey needed that little bit of extra attention

so the staff provided feeds throughout the day

and night to slowly build him up to the weight.

And also just gave him love and care to make him feel safe again.

Flint was found in the bottom of a bin that was about to be

emptied into the back of a lorry, so it was a lucky escape.

We're not sure if Flint was a stray or if his owner deliberately

put him in the bin, which really isn't very nice.

Lucky, he was spotted just in time, and he was brought to us.

Flint is a very active ferret. He is always up to mischief

and wants to be busy all the time, he's a bit of an adventurer.

As long as the ferrets get to have an occasional splash in their

paddling bowl, they'll be really happy and get along at Pet School.

Not too far from the ferrets, Thomas is getting

prickly about the stick insect's bramble.

-It was meant to have leaves.

-OK, sorry, sorry.

It was meant to have leaves.

-Cut this side.

-Yeah, I know.

Yeah, that's all we need to do, cut this side.

I'm a bit worried cutting all the leaves off

because the other one had a lot of leaves on

and I think they've done a mistake that they shouldn't have done.

But they're not really listening to me.

Meanwhile, having used almost half their time catching the gerbils,

Tommy and Ananya and Courtney are rushing to complete their tasks.

Oh, bedding, we haven't done the bedding, we need to do the bedding.

I've done it.

Are you sure we're supposed to put the food like that?

Yeah, you hide it. Actually, can you have a look?

Yeah, I'm just checking.

-Yeah, scattered around the cave for them to find.

-OK.

-How are we getting on? Hello.

-Well, we're doing all right.

Yup, what are we working on?

We've got the gerbils in that cage.

-Good, is this part of the hotel?

-Yeah.

So, you've read the care book, right?

Yeah, the care book's been read, which is there.

I'm a little bit interested that you've got plastic toys in here.

-Yeah.

-You know Gerbils like to gnaw at stuff? They like to have a chew.

Yeah, cardboard.

-Cardboard over there.

-Yeah.

OK. What if they start eating this, is that a problem?

-Yeah. It's not very good.

-Have a look if it's bad or not.

-You might want to check the care book.

-"Warning".

Yes, giant warning, in capital letters -

"avoid putting plastic in the hotel".

-Oh, no.

-We can use all this cardboard and wood.

A little rethink, good, good, good, a little rethink.

How we going to do it?

We'll have to make it out of cardboard and wood.

Like, we got some cardboard tubes.

Yeah, time is ticking, guys. Remember, you've got to complete it,

or you're going to lose time with your pet buddies.

I'm leaving you, make it best, make it luxury, make it awesome.

Make them enjoy it, have fun. See you later, all right.

See you. Oh, goodness, what the...?

We should have looked at the manual before making it out of plastic,

-we've just wasted our time.

-We've got 12 minutes.

I think we can do this.

As a captain I advise you not to panic.

Two minutes that will take us, maximum.

As team captain, I advise nobody to panic, because if you panic

the job won't get done, you'll be too busy thinking about other things.

Good advice, Courtney.

Back at the ferrets, Chloe is feeling a bit

weighed down by the tasks.

Chloe, you seem to be doing all the work today.

Yeah, well, because I'm the team leader, I better get it done.

Or maybe the team leader can get the guys doing some work!

This will just be about the last thing after we

get the beds set out.

You guys seem to be working really well, I have to say.

Make sure they don't drown in here.

Exactly, so ferrets... they like to splash around in it,

and they won't like to paddle. They are not going to want to swim.

So I'd actually say that's about right.

I'm going to have to shoot off now, got to go check some other animals.

-Would you like a splash around?

-Keep up the good team work.

Having spent most of pet practice in the store room,

Chloe is the only person not to have held the ferrets.

I might try to hold it, I'm just hoping it doesn't try to bite me.

-What, have you not held one yet?

-No.

Just hold it under the tummy, then give it slow hands.

-One under.

-One under like that.

So, just one hand underneath and then slowly...

Bit slower...

Chloe's finally held a ferret.

But Lauren needs to come out of her shell with feeding the snails.

Come on, Lauren, you can do it. You did say you like snails.

Have you ever seen a snail bite someone's arm off?

Come on, it's fine.

Good point, good point, have you ever seen that?

-How about that? What is that?

-It's a piece of wood.

Don't worry about that guy, he's not going to harm you.

The book says you get your hands wet before you get

the snails off cos you don't damage them.

-Hands wet?

-Spray, Come on, Lauren.

-Spray your hands.

-Put it in this.

-How are you supposed to feed them?

-Just got to put the lettuce in.

Why do I have to get my hands wet?

Cos if you get them out, cos look at this guy, if you get them

out, you got to get them wet, cos they're slimy

cos you don't want to pull them. Give them a slide, I think.

There's some rotten lettuce in there, so if you leave them

in there, they'll get parasites and bacteria and stuff.

Look at him. What does he feel like, Thomas?

He feels a bit slimy. He feels kind of gentle.

With less than five minutes to go, back in the furries room,

Ananya is discovering something that could mean failing pet practice.

Did we put, like, fresh hay?

Hay? Hay?

But it does need to be tidied with fresh hay, have we done that?

COCK CROWS

That is it, time's up.

So, have our Pet Heads successfully completed or are they going to

have to lose time and sacrifice being with their pet buddies?

It's getting tense.

Coming up... something's bugging William.

-I'm not going to open that bag!

-Chloe's kidding around.

Oh, dear. Oh, dear.

And star of Tracy Beaker Returns

and The Dumping Ground, Noah Marullo, drops in with his cat Leo.

He needs a lot of work done for him so that he can be like a normal cat.

Our Pet Heads' animals are waiting to play.

Sam, Chloe and William successfully completed

all of their ferret tasks.

As did Thomas, Lauren and Faramarz with the bugs.

They get maximum pet-buddy time.

But for Courtney, Tommy and Ananya things didn't go quite so well.

So we got it a little bit...

So, just to talk you through what's gone wrong is...

If you have a look in the cardboard hotel.

We need to get fresh hay in there.

In the wild, where do you think they'd be finding the food?

Underground.

Do you think all these seeds and bits

-and pieces would be underground?

-On top.

-Yeah.

OK, so we need to be getting some food scattered on top.

They've got to come above ground to forage

and go underneath to take into the nest.

All right.

I'm really annoyed with myself for not realising,

and reading through the guide properly.

THEY SIGH

-So we've now just got to put the hay in.

-Yeah.

That will only take us about two minutes.

Two minutes?! Didn't you say that last time, Tommy?

Are we rushing again?

OK, open it up!

Tommy, can you just take that out to chop it up?

It says that it needs to be chopped up.

Yeah, I'm going to break it up.

I think that's enough for all of them. Not too much.

That's it, fine. Done.

Shut the cage.

She said it needs to be chopped up.

-Yeah, that's why it's broken up.

-And she said that um...

More food needs to be scattered around.

-Which we've done.

-And put it on top, that's what we did.

-And some hay.

-I think that's it.

In the furries room, Tommy, Ananya and Courtney didn't finish

their pet practice on time, so they had to come back and finish it now.

Meanwhile, everyone else is outside bonding with their pet buddies.

Well on their way to showing their parents

they should have a pet of their own.

Lauren, however, is feeling nervous about bonding with her buddies

and wasn't happy when given the chickens.

CHICKENS CLUCK

-You don't like them?

-No!

What's not to like?

I got attacked by one a couple of weeks ago, I just don't like them!

Hello...

Great(!)

I am really scared. Oh, gosh.

Marie, she might need some help.

When you go in, they're just going to walk back a little bit, OK.

-OK.

-Go in, just see how you're feeling. I'm right behind you.

That's it, you're doing a fab job, well done.

So, she's going to come up to you.

She's going to see if I've sprinkled any food.

One's looking at me.

He's not. See, if I walk past him.

-Nothing...

-Could you stay here, please?

-Yeah, I'm staying here.

-Cos I really don't like it.

-You're fine.

It's just him that freaks me out.

It's OK, I'll keep an eye on him. It's fine.

-Oh, my...!

-You're doing fine.

Please, please, I really don't like it.

You're fine, you're fine.

I want to come out, I'm really scared.

Come back out.

Well, you've stepped in, and you've come back out again.

You should be so proud of yourself, right now.

What a plucky girl! Or should that be clucky?

Back at the furries room,

the team is still trying to finish pet practice.

-Hey, guys, how are we doing?

-I think quite well.

Well, there's a couple of little points here,

I don't think you were quite listening.

Obviously, I did say that we need to break down some of the treats,

we need to take some out.

I can see a massive chunk of apple here.

Also, we've got a nice gerbil hotel here, we've got a bit of hay

there, and a bit of hay there, but do you think they're going to

get nice and cosy in that house, do you think there's enough hay?

-No.

-No.

-No, we're rushing it a little bit here, OK.

So you need to take a step and think about it,

I know you want to your pet-buddy time,

but you need to get this right, it's really important for the gerbils.

Crack on.

Meanwhile, over at the storeroom, William is hopping straight

into making Leonard the bearded dragon's dinner.

But getting the insects out to put calcium on isn't quite going

to plan.

Have a little look. They look tasty, don't they?

That's fresh food, it doesn't get fresher than that. Still alive.

It's sort of one up from sushi, isn't it?

It's the fact that they're jumping really high that freaks me out.

What's your tactic?

I wish you could just kill them!

No, that's not the Pet School way!

Do you want to take the lid out of the bag?

That means I have to open the bag.

This is it, this is your challenge.

If you want to look after a bearded dragon,

you have to do this every other day.

HE GROANS

Right, let me help you. Bag.

I'll do the bag, you get in there, grab a hopper, chuck in the bag.

Come on, mate, do this once.

Imagine how proud your parents are going to be.

If they see this at the end of two weeks.

-I want a glove.

-They're not going to bite you, though.

I know, it's not that, it's not that

-they're going to harm me.

-Then what are you scared of, then?

The fact that...

-..they jump.

-OK.

-They jump.

That better not escape.

Go, go, go quick, he's in, he's in!

Sorry, guys, you've not got long left.

WILLIAM CHUCKLES

Blame William.

I reckon that's enough for now.

Get a little dose in there, that's it.

I'd rather have a glass of milk if it was me.

All right, this is your bag.

-This is what I think I should do.

-Uh-huh.

-Give them a shake.

They're not having a great day, are they, let's be honest.

Outside in the field, Chloe is cleaning out her pet buddy's home.

I say cleaning. It's more just trying to hide the poo.

-Chloe, hey.

-Hi.

-How are we doing?

-We're doing all right,

I've just patched up any places were they've gone to the toilet in.

-You've patched it up?

-Yeah.

And is there any cleaned out, the toilet?

You can't so I've just covered it up. Still clean!

But... yeah, the top bit is clean.

You ought to take the poo out, then put the fresh bedding in.

Otherwise, the animals will get parasites. Baaaeugh!

I need to think of what else I can do with them.

What about walking them? What if we get them on the leads

and get to spend a bit of time with them?

It's day two. Yeah. Why not.

Grab yourself a lead, let's do it.

Oh, dear, oh, dear, oh, dear.

Oh, dear, oh, dear, strong...

There you go, no...!

You know what Chloe, they're your goats,

so I'm going to leave you to it. Here's your other lead.

-OK, OK.

-Grab hold of this one.

-You got that one as well?

-Ahh!

Cool, see you later, Chloe. Bye...

Oh!

She'll deal with that.

Back at the furries, Tommy, Courtney

and Ananya are STILL trying to finish pet practice.

So, they've got hay, comfy box.

-We've taken out some of the treats and broken up some.

-Yeah.

And we put lots more hay into that.

And we put lots more hay inside the hotel.

So...

Let's have a look of this with the lid back on.

OK, I'm going to have to do my walk-round inspection here.

Yeah, that looks good, we've got food scattered on the top,

they are going to come out.

Much better with the hay, I'm a lot happier with that now.

I'm really pleased with that. Well done, guys.

Just make sure you take it slowly

when you're working with the animals.

We needed to actually stop thinking about the time

and actually focus on taking care of the animals.

And it's animals that Tommy is only thinking about now.

Having lost most of his pet-buddy time

he's now in a rush to be with his rats.

Sorry, rats, you'll be out in a sec.

Tommy is 11 years old and he lives with his mum, dad and two sisters.

HE SINGS

He likes musicals, mixing music and eating pizza.

Why do you want a pet, Tommy?

A few years ago, I had two Russian hamsters but sadly they died.

So now what kind of pet would you like?

I really want a pet rat.

I used to have rats but I was a bit older than what Tommy is now

and I don't think he's quite old enough to be responsible

to look after one.

I'm not too young. I'm responsible enough.

But there is one thing you don't like, isn't there, Tommy?

I'm not a massive fan of cleaning up the poo.

But I know I've got to do it, if I really want the pet.

I need to prove myself to Mum and especially Dad.

-As he hates rats.

-And he's not the only one...

I don't like rats.

I don't like rats either.

So, what does Tommy need to prove at Pet School, Mum?

He just needs to prove to me and his dad that he can be responsible

looking after small animals.

How much do you want a pet, Tommy?

I really want a pet so much. I'm even prepared to use my own

pocket money, to make sure it's looked after.

Oi, come here, come here. Do you want to go...?

I don't think the cage is supposed to be a rat climbing frame, Tommy.

See you tomorrow, babies. See you tomorrow.

Our Pet Heads have done amazing work today.

So, as a treat I've arranged for a very special guest to visit us

here at Pet School.

Now, you know, a lot of the animals here at Pet School

-are rescue animals, right?

-Yeah.

So, they've been looking for new owners as well.

A little bit like, the kids looking for new parents in

The Dumping Ground, OK,

and that is a little clue to our celebrity guest for today.

Now, you need to stay sort of calm, a little bit quiet

because the animal coming in today, does get scared a little easily.

But, please welcome Gus, AKA Noah Marullo.

-APPLAUSE

-Hi.

-Hey.

-Hi, mate. How you doing?

-I'm good.

Welcome to Pet School.

Star of Tracy Beaker Returns and The Dumping Ground, Noah's

character Gus Carmichael has Asperger's syndrome,

and has to have everything in his day perfectly organised.

HE GROANS

Look at what you did to me?!

It's bubble Wednesday and you went out without telling me.

I'm so sorry, Gus, but wait...

I couldn't cross the barber's off my list, so it gave me

-and unscheduled 43 minutes!

-I'm sorry.

It would have been 16 but I wasted 17 waiting for you.

So, I scheduled piano practice.

-I've brought my cat, Leo.

-Hey!

Come and have a seat over here, and introduce us to Leo.

-He's a cutie, isn't he?

-Yeah.

So, tell us about Leo, he's quite a unique cat, isn't he?

Yeah. He's different to other cats.

The vet said he's got something slightly wrong with him.

Am I right thinking his condition's similar to cerebral palsy?

-Yeah, yeah.

-But for cats.

-Yeah.

-OK.

He struggles to do things like jump up to high

distances like normal cats.

He needs a lot of work done for him so that he can be like a normal cat.

Well, Pet Heads, have you got any questions for Noah about Leo?

Is there a different kind of way that he's got to be treated

to others?

When he's got longer hair, we need to brush him.

So that it doesn't get knotted up,

and then he'll get uncomfortable, and he'll try to lick out

the knots, but since he's not like a normal cat he won't do it that well.

Is there a chance we can have a go, you can

teach us how you sort of brush him today?

Yeah, I've got a brush here.

-Faramarz, you want a cat yourself, right?

-Yes.

Do you want to be the one to come and have a go?

If you hold that.

If you just have his tail, here and give it a really smooth, soft brush.

Is it tough to get through?

No, I just want to go slowly.

-Is he allowed outside?

-He likes to be outside.

Especially when it's nice weather and he's been shaved.

But he won't go very far out.

So, where did you first meet Leo?

Well, he was at a Persian cat sanctuary, sort of thing.

He had, like, ringworm on his skin.

Oh!

From living in a cage with a bunch of other cats his whole life.

You know, he was the sweetest cat there.

Awesome, and you've also got a lot other animals at home as well.

What else have you got?

Yeah, I've got two dogs, and I have to take them for a walk twice a day.

You're a busy man, you're an actor, you're still at school

and you're looking after all your pets at the same time.

What would you say, how do you organise it all?

You got to manage it so that you do things before and after school.

It's all about them loving you, and you loving them,

and you sometimes have to do a little bit more for that.

And Noah, thanks so much for coming, it's been awesome having you,

and we'll give you a big,

but quiet round of applause, as not to scare Leo as well.

-Thanks very much, good job.

-Thanks, guys.

And that is day two at Pet School complete.

And it had bite.

Our Pet Heads have now had plenty of time to settle in.

But they're going to need to work hard to impress their mums and dads.

Don't miss registration tomorrow when there will be

much more of this...

Next time on Pet School a surprise visitor swings by.

-So, this is Suzy.

-Oh, my...!

The Pet Heads hop into action.

And he's in!

And it all hots up in the reptile room.

And you don't follow the rules. You need to follow them.

-Otherwise we'll fail.

-We'll just fail this.

And it's your fault!

Sorry, yeah, action.

LAUGHTER

SINGING AND LAUGHING

-Action.

-In the furries... oh.

And that is day two at Pet School complete.

Our Pet Heads... oh...

If they're going to impress their mums and dads and let them... oh...

Just keep it...

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