Isla Roen, Story Editor
Featured image contributed by Anna Moody
If you’ve ever walked past the lobby of NCHS during midterms of finals week, you’ve likely noticed something unusual: clusters of students gathered not around textbooks, but around a group of calm, fluffy companions. The school has hosted therapy dogs for several years, part of a growing attempt to help students manage their stress. But this isn’t unique to NCHS. Since 2020, therapy dogs have become an increasingly common presence in schools, hospitals and universities across the country.
Behind each of these visits, however, is a structured process that ensures the dogs are fit for the role. Liam, an Old English Sheepdog, is registered through the Alliance of Therapy Dogs, where he completed a variety of assignments to prove he was ready. “The dogs have to demonstrate certain behaviors during a test with a tester-observer,” said Sandy Woodard, Liam’s handler. “The tester checks to make sure the dog is under control, obedient, and follows directions,” said Woodard. If the dogs are suitable for therapy, they earn a certification to provide comfort, affection, and emotional support to a variety of people.
Liam travels to schools, hospitals and assisted living centers accompanied by Woodard. “Each place is different, but what we do is about the same. We walk in with the dog, people come over and pet him, and we talk about the dog—what breed he is, things about him. Then they tell us about the dogs they have or used to have,” said Woodard.
Scarlett, an Irish Doodle, and her handler, Anna Moody, have also traveled to similar environments. “One time we went to St. Vincent’s in oncology, and I think they had just lost a patient,” Ms. Moody said. “I was in the waiting room and two nurses came out looking very upset. It happened in a split second—they saw Scarlett and just collapsed in the waiting room with all the patients there and hugged her like she was a teddy bear. They said, ‘Oh my gosh, we just needed this.’ That really struck me.”
This impact isn’t just limited to hospitals; schools are seeing it as well. “On one occasion, a teacher asked if I could come in and just visit this boy whose dad had recently died—his name was Alex,” said Ms. Moody. “I went in every Tuesday. As long as Scarlett sat next to him and he could pet her, he would do his work. Eventually, during counseling—with Scarlett there—he finally said the reason he didn’t want to do schoolwork was because his dad used to do it with him all the time. I was in the room, but it didn’t even register to him that I was there. He was focused on Scarlett.”
It’s these experiences that have driven schools to adopt therapy dogs into their curriculums, Fairfield University’s included. What was once occasional visits has, in some cases, become a formal part of campus life. “There are several components to freshman orientation at Fairfield, and one of the requirements is to visit a therapy dog,” said Ms. Moody. “It’s something every freshman has to do.”
Beyond orientation, therapy dogs are also being used to support students facing ongoing pressures throughout the school year. Scarlett, for example, visits Sacred Heart University weekly, with many trips focused specifically for the student athletes. “The Division I athletes, especially freshmen, have a really hard time with the demands of their sport and academics,” Ms. Moody said. “It’s really, really hard because they have to devote 20 hours a week to their sport, not including game time. That’s five days a week, four hours a day lifting, watching film, and practicing, plus games, homework, and six hours a week in study hall. One way to get them to go is to have a dog there.”
These frequent visits have allowed students to build relationships with Scarlett. “She’s there so much that students know her,” said Ms. Moody. “They know when to come see her. But it’s always the same reaction—they collapse on the floor, pet her, take pictures of her, FaceTime their parents, post on TikTok or Instagram.” Many of them, having their own dogs, get a little taste of home every time Scarlett stops by.
For Ms. Moody, these reactions feel familiar. The same kind of comfort and joy she sees in students is what first drew her to therapy work. “One of my daughters was a nurse at Yale,” she said. “She would come home every Wednesday and say, ‘Mom, today’s the best day in the world,’ because the therapy dog would be there. She loved that dog so much. That’s when I said, ‘You know, we’re going to get a puppy.’”
Since the beginning, Ms. Moody and Mr. Woodard have both seen the impact of therapy dogs, whether they are interacting with a nurse or a high school student. “Therapy dogs should not just be brought in for stressful moments when everyone is already overwhelmed,” said Ms. Moody. “It’s important to be proactive instead of reactive, especially when it comes to people’s mental health.”
