Brighton Schools announced by the end of the school year they will have therapy dogs for each of their campuses to help students with confidence and anxiety.
They have had a couple of therapy dogs for the last nines year, but now will be the first Michigan school that owns their therapy dogs.
“We’ve just seen such a benefit with the lessening of anxiety and the emotional help that our dogs give our kids during the day it’s amazing,” said superintendent Greg Gray.
The therapy dogs were paid for by community donations, and each dog is trained for a year to specifically help school-age children with development.
“It’s a stress relief for the kids,” said Brighton teacher Christina Wilson. “Especially the beginning of the school year can be a really scary time. So when they come in and see a dog in the classroom, it provides for them a sense of calm.”
Even parents said they have seen the change in their children after working with the animals.
“All of a sudden Bella would go to the school in the morning, and she would get out of the car in the morning because she knew she was going to see Caesar (the dog.) So throughout the year, it got easier and easier,” said parent Sarah Hoffman.
The school now has the money for a dog for each campus, but the dogs will not be there till close to the end of the year because of training.
