Humans aren’t the only species making up Meridian’s diverse classrooms, furry friends have become a welcomed addition!
Animals, especially dogs, have been a part of our lives for years. Their companionship andgiven selflessly, has long been an appealing attribute for many. Furthermore, their unique physical and character traits make animals even more enchanting, seeming to communicate a steady level of calmness and reassurance without using words.
Service animals developed strong support in the early 1900’s especially post WW1 as psychologists began to learn about Post Traumatic Stress Disorder (PTSD) and the way in which the disorder presented itself. But even before that, doctors such as Boris Levison were testing their “healing” properties at institutions such as The York Retreat, an asylum in England (Psychology Today).
Dr. Levinson once said “a pet is an island of sanity in what appears to be an insane world. Friendship retains its traditional values and securities in one’s relationship with one’s pet. Whether a dog, cat, bird, fish, turtle or other, one can rely upon the fact that one’s pet will always remain a faithful, intimate, non-competitive friend, regardless of the good or ill fortune life brings us (The Canadian Institute of Animal Assisted Interventions).
According to Alliance of Therapy Dogs “everyone, including students, can benefit from therapy dog programs. Some of the well-established,general benefits associated with animal-assisted therapy programs are; developing social skills, teaching empathy and interpersonal skills, [and] developing skills to pick up on social skills.”
Schools nationwide have found therapy pets essential to alleviating stress in students caused by tragedy specific to the schools location (natural disasters, crime, etc.) as well as international problems such as the Covid-19 pandemic (Texas Association of School Boards).
Lovey, a 7 year old miniature schnauzer is Meridian’s official therapy dog. She is owned and looked after by DP Math coordinator and assistant principal Wendy Riley. “I wanted a dog who could grow up in the Meridian community from the very beginning and become comfortable in a school environment,” remarked Ms. Riley.
Lovey has been a part of this school since she was only 2 months old; “... my seniors actually met the breeder in the parking lot to help bring her into the school” Ms. Riley reminisced. After that, Lovey went through special training where she was required to enroll in an official therapy program. From there Ms. Riley has been able to bring Lovey to school every day as long as she always has a form of insurance for Lovey and is always present.
Junior, Beckett North, shared his favorite part of seeing Lovey in the morning “…is that despite her being behind a protective gate, I am able to enter it and pet her, and she is always so nice and loves scratches behind the neck. If her toy is there, it is especially fun, because she loves to play fetch between the offices and the lobby”
Dogs, such as Lovey, have likes and dislikes which are important to know in order to have the best interaction possible. Ms. Riley explained,“Lovey loves people and loves to play. She especially enjoys being petted and interacting with students when they are at her level”, however Riley mentioned that being picked up makes Lovey uncomfortable causing her to sometimes become nervous when she is anticipating being picked up.
“Whenever I interact with her, it always brings a sense of joy and smiles on my face,” North stated, when asked about his interactions with Lovey, “and whenever you scratch her neck, her leg moves like a bunny. It’s so cute!”
Ms. Riley and Lovey have brought joy and smiles to school everyday. Lovey’s positive contribution to the school has been so great that she was even awarded a chip in recognition of her 5th year working at Meridian just as factually are awarded on their 5th year of employment.
In an interview Ms. Riley noted “originally, the plan was for there to be several therapy dogs at Meridian.” Faculty members such as Mr. Man and Dr. Brewers were a part of this plan “however, COVID interrupted the training plans, and Lovey ended up being the only one who completed the process.”
Students including North have expressed great interest in having more service animals join Meridian: “if Lovey already brings this much joy to both me and other students, imagine having more! People could have favorites, and pet them, and be given a small simple smile to help brighten their day. More animals would be awesome!”
