Therapy Dog Helps Students With Stress

May 27, 2020

There’s a new face walking the halls at St. Xavier High School.

He’s about two feet tall, yellow and covered in fur.

The all-boys Catholic school has been buzzing with excitement to welcome Evan.

The 2-year-old golden retriever is the school’s new therapy dog.

“Seeing him in the hallway brings a smile to our faces and something to look forward to during the school day,” said senior Daniel Baptist.

Along with a few counselros, Jason Ahlers, asst. principal for student services, spent two weeks in training before Evan was introduced to the school last Monday.

“We have to remember that Evan is a working dog and when he has his working gear on, he wears a bandanna that says Circle Tail and has his name, that he’s treated one way. He’s not a pet here,” said Ahlers.

The school said it wants to support the health and wellness of faculty and students.

According to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, depression and anxiety in children ages 6-17 has increased.

Students said support is imperative.

“It helps to talk about it and understand we all go through it,” said junior Michael Niceley.

Therapy dogs are proven to reduce anxiety and stress and improve self-esteem.

If a student needs time with Evan, a trainer says, “Can you visit?” and the canine stays with the student who may need a moment of zen.

“Evan gives adults and students just the chance to be away from their job. For students, this is a serious job. They’re working hard to accomplish things and Evan gives them a little respite where they see him and light up immediately,” said Ahlers.

This is a pilot program in partnership with the Hamilton County Education Service Center and Circle Tail, a nonprofit organization whose mission is to provide service and hearing dogs to people with disabilities.

School officials will have conversations at the end of this semester about how things went and the best way to move forward.

The family of a student is acting a host family for Evan when he isn’t working at school.

  • Most Recent News

    Former Victoria man’s diabetic alert dog helps him get back to life

    June 2, 2021

    When Luke Hengen’s diabetes worsened in his early twenties, it stripped him of the outdoor activities where the country kid felt at home. Countless wilderness adventures and years of hard-fought football games took a toll on his body, to the point where he could no longer sense when his blood sugar was too high or […]

    Read more

    Students Get Therapy Dog

    January 8, 2021

    When middle school students return to class on Jan. 11, they’ll find a new face at the door: Daisy. Daisy is a therapy dog and the personal pet of Rob Kreger, principal of the Rock L. Butler Middle School. The five-year-old golden retriever is not a school pet or mascot, but rather a working dog […]

    Read more

    Therapy Dogtor

    January 8, 2021

    Last March, Caroline Benzel, a third-year medical student, began to notice the stress and discomfort her nurse friends were feeling from the pressures of the ongoing Covid-19 pandemic. “[Personal protective equipment] can be really rough on the skin,” Benzel, 31, tells PEOPLE. Benzel and her 3-year-old Rottweiler, Loki (who’s also a therapy dog) hatched a […]

    Read more

    Therapy Dog Pups

    January 8, 2021

    When Stanley the miniature fox terrier’s owner passed away, the little dog started a ‘paw-some’ new role – bringing puppy love to some of the Gold Coast’s oldest residents. After Carinity Cedarbrook Diversional Therapist Julianne Staff adopted Stanley, he began visiting the aged care community at Mudgeeraba as a therapy dog. Therapy dogs help to […]

    Read more

    Puppy Cams

    January 7, 2021

    A nonprofit is providing an unusual form of therapy for those on the front lines of the coronavirus pandemic – puppy cams! “You spend five minutes with a puppy and try not to smile,” said registered nurse Robin Lingg Lagrone. Lingg Lagrone says watching little furballs wag their tails and prance on their paws helps […]

    Read more

    Pet Committee

    January 7, 2021

    When Moore County’s school doors were abruptly closed earlier in 2020, two- and four-legged volunteers from the Moore County Citizens’ Pet Responsibility Committee (PRC) were in their 12th year of presenting a six-session Pet Responsibility Education Program for fourth-graders. The PRC quickly shifted gears and placed its program materials online as part of a home […]

    Read more

    The Right Rescue Dog

    January 7, 2021

    If your New Year’s resolution is to add a canine family member, good for you. Somewhere out there is the perfect puppy or adult dog for your family. You have a lot of things to think about when you begin to look for that new family member, puppy or dog? Large or small? Purebred or […]

    Read more

    Police Dog Attack

    January 7, 2021

    A resolution headed to the Duluth City Council on Monday could put to rest a lawsuit filed by Teri Lynn Ehlers, an employee of the Patch Motel, who was bitten by a Duluth police dog named Oakley. Former Duluth Police Officer Marc Johnson was a registered guest of the Warroad establishment May 28, 2018, when […]

    Read more

    PAWS With A Cause

    January 7, 2021

    Pebble Hill Plantation and the Thomas County Public Library are pleased to announce the upcoming Enlightening Bites program, “PAWS With a Cause,” on Friday, January 8, 2021 at noon in the Flipper Room of the Library. The program is being presented by Jeri Anderson, field representative. Anderson is recently retired from the City of Monticello, […]

    Read more

    Police Canine Team

    January 7, 2021

    Kingston Police revealed in a news release late Wednesday afternoon that they’ve been keeping a four-legged secret for roughly three months. The force announced it added a second canine unit, with the arrival of police service dog Dak this past October. He is working with Const. Jeff Dickson, while police service dog Bask is working […]

    Read more

    More Recent News