Homegrown Therapy Dogs: Spreading Happiness One Wag at a Time

Founded in 2022 by dog lover, and Pritchett School second-grade teacher Melissa Fasuna, Homegrown Therapy Dogs was built on a simple belief: communities thrive when emotional well-being, meaningful connections, and evidence-based support are intentionally woven into everyday life.

As social-emotional and mental health needs continue to grow, the organization is helping meet those challenges through one of the most effective and accessible interventions available; certified therapy dogs.

Homegrown Therapy Dogs partners with the Alliance of Therapy Dogs, an international registry of certified therapy dog teams, to guide local volunteers through every step of becoming a certified therapy dog team. School employees, parents, families, and community members receive support throughout the certification process, including evaluation, training, background checks, registration, and insurance. Once certified, teams are connected with schools and organizations where they can make a meaningful difference.

The organization's mission is simple: to grow and share "homegrown" therapy dog teams in communities that need them most. Every team is supported, "hand-in-paw," from the first stages of training through active community service.

Today, Homegrown Therapy Dogs serves students, educators, families, and community members throughout School District 102 and beyond. Therapy dog teams can be found reading with students in classrooms, supporting social-emotional learning, greeting families during Meet the Teacher events, welcoming children on the first day of school, easing anxiety during parent-teacher conferences, participating in PTO activities, community events and more.

Research continues to demonstrate the powerful impact therapy dogs have on emotional well-being. Studies show that interactions with therapy dogs can lower stress and anxiety, improve mood, increase feelings of self-worth, and foster calm, trust, and connection.

Petting a dog releases serotonin and dopamine, which are chemicals associated with happiness and emotional wellness, while making eye contact with a dog can stimulate oxytocin, often called the "bonding hormone." Spending as little as 10 minutes with a therapy dog has been shown to produce an immediate positive effect on a person's mood.

These benefits extend to people of all ages, making therapy dogs a valuable resource for schools and communities alike. Every additional certified therapy dog team creates new opportunities to support emotional wellness, strengthen relationships, and provide comfort when it is needed most.

By bringing trained therapy dogs into schools and community spaces, Homegrown Therapy Dogs create environments where people feel welcomed, supported, and connected. Through compassion, volunteerism, and the remarkable bond between people and dogs, the organization is helping to build stronger, healthier communities, one visit at a time.

Its mission is perfectly reflected in its mantra: "Spreading happiness one wag at a time."