Southfield elementary school introduces pet therapy program for students
SOUTHFIELD, Mich. (CBS DETROIT) – Happy faces and wagging tails, two things you can count on seeing every Thursday at Stevenson Elementary School in Southfield.
"A lot of them got happy. They got really happy," said Amaya Mitchell, a fifth-grade student at Stevenson Elementary.
"Everyone got really happy about it," said Inara Bates, a second-grade student at Stevenson Elementary.
"Thursday is like the best day of the week. I don't care if it's Christmas. Dog therapy is the best day of the week here at Stevenson," said Tonya Hickman, principal at Stevenson Elementary.
New this school year, pet therapy. Once a week, dogs from Pawsitive Changes Pet Therapy Dogs roam the classrooms with one goal in mind.
"The goal today is just to bring some smiles and giggles to the kids," said Karen Onail, the owner of Pawsitive Changes Therapy Dogs.
"What better way to lighten the mood in the building then to bring these miracle works in," added Hickman.
Hickman says the students experienced a lot of loss and trauma during the COVID-19 pandemic, so this year, school leadership wanted to give the students something to look forward to.
"We look at the number of students who have reduced their anxiety levels, students that have lost their parents, when they see the dogs come in, you see smiles and excitement. It has changed the behavior of some of our students. They are learning to love," said Hickman.
For teachers, better moods and classroom engagement, has made for much happier school days.
"I've noticed the kids are a lot more excited about coming to school, especially when they know it's going to be a day when Max is here. I noticed the kids are more focused because they have something to look forward to," said Catherine Hamilton, a fifth-grade teacher at Stevenson Elementary.