Talking birds, goats butting heads, and a giant tortoise that hangs out with chickens are all part of a living classroom. High-school students at the Career Center in Arlington, Virginia are learning firsthand, and hands-on, how to care for animals. They are at the animal science laboratory, learning about, and taking care of, about 50 species of animals. Holding a happy rabbit in her arms, Elleny Alemu says it is “so cute.” She says soon she will be getting one of her own. Miguel Zambrano doesn’t feel the same way about Snickers. That is a temperamental brown miniature horse. Zambrano is feeding her hay, hoping she will let him brush her. “She gets mad if you just sometimes don’t even pay attention to her. I do not want a horse. It’s going to be way too much work.” Zambrano is one of 70 students taking the yearlong animal science program. Students learn in class and hands-on with the animals. It gives them both class credit and a chance to learn what it is like to work with animals.