Therapy Dogs Provide Stress Relief For Pennsbury Students

FALLSINGTON, PA —The pups were on the job.

When Pennsbury High School students entered the building last Friday, they were greeted by the district's new team of therapy dogs.

The dogs helped provide students with a stress break as they were taking final exams and were back on campus on Monday.

School officials said the dogs won't approach students who do not wish to interact with them.

At the start of the school year, the Pennsbury School District partnered with Attitudes In Reverse to train therapy dogs with the goal of supporting the mental health of our students and staff.

The therapy dogs and their Pennsbury employee handlers have undergone extensive training throughout the school year and have passed the necessary certification to become therapy dogs, school officials said.

The dogs were brought in when tensions mounted several months ago after bathroom restrictions were put in place following a fight that led to police being called to Pennsbury High School West and a wave of bathroom vandalism.

Pennsbury High School students later staged a 10-minute walkout in what school officials said was a protest of the restroom restrictions made in the wake of bathroom fights and vandalism.

The high school serves Yardley, Tullytown, Falls Township, and Lower Makefield Township.