Sachem East High School's Therapy Dog, A Shih Tzu Named 'Lil' Bear,' Is Running For America's Favorite Pet

FARMINGVILLE, NY — How can you say, 'No?'

Lil' Bear, the little dog with a lot of heart who serves as a therapy dog at Sachem East High School in Farmingville, is running for America's Favorite Pet, which raises funds and awareness for the Progressive Animal Welfare Society, or PAWS.org.

With only hours to go, he's in 5th place in the semi-finals.

The one-year-old Shih Tzu's handler/mom, Nicole Koerber, a school counselor at Sachem East High School, told Patch in an email that she entered the dog in the contest "on a whim."

The 7th annual contest is hosted by Donnie Wahlberg from New Kids on the Block and his wife, Jenny McCarthy.

The winner will be featured on the cover of Modern Dog Magazine, and will take home $10,000.

Since announcing his candidacy, the district's supporters have rallied around him, Koerber says.

Winning the contest would allow the district to re-invest directly in the therapy dog program by taking part in advanced training certifications, insurance, and creating engaging materials for students, according to Koerber.

It would also "shine a spotlight on the powerful role therapy dogs can play in addressing student mental health needs in schools nationwide," she said.

"Lil’ Bear may be small, but his mission and the district backing him are anything but," she added.

The little guy's story is "one rooted in compassion and community," she says.

"Lil’ Bear is smart, affectionate, and endlessly entertaining, but more importantly, he has a natural ability to connect," she said. "He brings smiles, gives kisses freely, plays ball with students, and seems to instinctively gravitate toward those who need him most."

His journey as a furry little counselor started in the aftermath of the COVID-19 pandemic.

Koerber and her colleague, Christine Launer, another school counselor at Sachem North High School, were witnessing what many schools across the country were facing, including "a sharp rise in student anxiety, emotional dysregulation, and mental health needs that couldn’t always be met through traditional supports alone."

"Rather than accept the status quo, we proposed and built a different approach: a therapy dog program designed to help students feel safe, grounded, and seen," Koerber said. "It was a labor of love that paid off."

The district's therapy dogs, Bailey and Oakley, sister Goldendoodles, became quiet lifelines in the Sachem East and Sachem North High School buildings with students, who struggled to open up, finding comfort, and their tension softened, and anxiety eased.

One interaction with the therapy dogs often had the same impact as multiple counseling sessions, according to Koerber.

"It was an extraordinary reminder that healing doesn’t always start with words," Koerber said.

Voters have until 10 p.m. on Thursday to cast their ballots.

May the best dog, er, or cat, win.