Education & Kids Brooklyn Boro

With light touch, Comfort Dog program enhances NYC schools

Program expands across city; Research proves health benefits

September 26, 2017 By Mary Frost Brooklyn Daily Eagle
Bruno, a puggle in the Comfort Dog program at Lower Manhattan Community Middle School, is one of dozens of specially trained dogs bringing smiles and cuddles to students at 40 schools — 12 in Brooklyn — across New York City this year. Photo courtesy of the NYC Department of Education
Bruno, a puggle in the Comfort Dog program at Lower Manhattan Community Middle School, is one of dozens of specially trained dogs bringing smiles and cuddles to students at 40 schools — 12 in Brooklyn — across New York City this year. Photo courtesy of the NYC Department of Education
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There’s nothing like a cuddle and some furry kisses during a rough day at school.

Expanding on last year’s successful pilot program, city schools are bringing in more huggable, tail-wagging “comfort dogs” this year for stressed-out students. Having a dog around seems to calm down kids who may be struggling with issues at school or at home, teachers say.

“The Comfort Dog program brings a smile to students and staff on a challenging day, helps to de-escalate issues and can even provide bereavement support,” Schools Chancellor Carmen Fariña said in a statement on Tuesday, when she visited a new program at Lower Manhattan Community Middle School.

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There she met a puggle named Bruno, who — though he wore the seemingly serious expression shared by many puggles — happily submitted to hugs and pets from the students.

Fariña said that comfort dogs are now helping nearly 40 schools “strengthen their culture and build stronger relationships.” Of the 40 schools, 12 are in Brooklyn.

The Department of Education (DOE) program piloted in seven schools in 2016, four in Brooklyn.

According to the Alliance of Therapy Dogs (ATD), interaction with specially-trained dogs has been shown to reduce blood pressure and bring emotional benefits. A survey of adolescent mental health found that about 8 to 10 percent of teens have an anxiety disorder. A therapy dog can lift moods in the classroom and offer a shoulder to lean on.

ATD says that comfort dogs bring cognitive benefits as well, stimulating memory and problem-solving skills.

DOE works with each school in the program to adopt a rescue animal that has been evaluated by North Shore Animal League America. A staff member at each school adopts the dog and the curriculum is provided to schools for free, so the program costs each school nothing.

“We are so excited to see that the program has grown from seven schools to 30 additional schools in just one year — talk about a good report card,” Joanne Yohannan, senior vice president of the North Shore Animal League America said in a statement. The group provides the Mutt-i-Grees curriculum to the schools.

The comfort dogs are incorporated into the life of the school in a variety of ways, DOE says, including both everyday activities and at-risk and mandated counseling. The dogs also become an integral part of a school’s crisis intervention protocols and support de-escalation and bereavement counseling.

“A comfort dog is a counseling support,” Jaye Murray, executive director of the Office of Counseling Support Programs said. “They possess the two most important qualities of an effective social worker or counselor–unconditional acceptance and warmth.”

“Bruno has already become an essential member of our school community,” said Kelly McGuire, principal of Lower Manhattan Community Middle School. “Whether he is greeting students in the morning or working on speech therapy, Bruno is a relationship builder, an effective part of our counseling services, and an adorable addition to our school.”

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Comfort Dog Pilot Program 2016-17

J.H.S. 14 Shell Bank Junior High School (22K014)

M.S. 88 Peter Rouget (15K088)

P.S. 200 Benson School (20K200)

M.S. 266 Park Place Community Middle School (13K266)

P.S. 75 Emily Dickinson (03M075)

P.S. 209 Clearview Gardens (25Q209)

P.S. 176 (11X176)

Comfort Dog Program Expansion 2017-18

P.S. 628 Brooklyn Brownstone School (16K628)

P.S. 90 Edna Cohen School (21K090)

P.S. 231 (20K231)

P.S. 532 New Bridges Elementary (17K532)

H.S. 410 Abraham Lincoln High School (21K410)

P.S. 185 Walter Kassenbrock (20K185)

P.S. 506 The School of Journalism & Technology (20K506)

P.S. 373 Brooklyn Transition Center (14K373)

H.S. 139 Stephen T. Mather Building Arts Craftsmanship High School (02M139)

P.S. 145 The Bloomingdale School (03M145)

M.S. 896 Lower Manhattan Community Middle School (02M896)

P.S. 315 The East Village Community School (01M315)

P.S. 267 East Side Elementary School (02M267)

P.S. 178 Professor Juan Bosch Public School (06M178)

P.S. 076 William Hallet (30Q076)

P.S. 120 Queens (25Q120)

P.S. 277 The Riverview School (30Q277)

P.S. 224 (26Q224)

P.S. 75 Robert E. Peary School (24Q075)

I.S. 204 Oliver W. Holmes (30Q204)

P.S. 22 Graniteville (31R022)

H.S. 605 Staten Island Technical High School (31R605)

P.S. 861 Staten Island School of Civic Leadership (31R861)

P.S. 80 The Michael J. Petrides School (31R080)

I.S. 007 Elias Bernstein (31R007)

P.S. 001 Tottenville (31R001)

P.S. 204 Morris Heights (09X204)

I.S. 303 Leadership & Community Service (09X303)

M.S. 343 Academy of Applied Mathematics and Technology (07X343)

P.S. 12 Lewis and Clark School (11X012)


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