‘IT’S LIKE THEY LIGHT UP THE ROOM’
Therapy dogs aid healing in Oxford schools
When therapy dogs greet Oxford High School students between classes, the adults around them watch the tension melt away.
“They sit right down on the floor with them. It’s powerful to watch,” said Todd Barlass, executive director of student services and wellness.
But the teens aren’t the only ones who benefit from the stress relief. On occasion, the dogs visit staff meetings, and it’s not unusual to see administrators join the four-legged friends on the floor, Barlass said.
On Nov. 30, 2021, sophomore Ethan Crumbley took a handgun out of backpack at school and fatally shot four students — Hana St. Juliana, Tate Myre, Justin Shilling and Madisyn Baldwin. Six students and a teacher were injured.
The Oxford Community Schools is taking a number of steps to address the tension the shooting created. That includes consulting with other schools that have been through a similar event, said district spokeswoman Dani Stublensky.
Therapy dogs are a big part of the strategy. Last school year, the district borrowed them from the Brighton Area Schools and had regular visits from therapy dogs assigned to the Oakland County Sheriff’s Office.
The dogs served students and staff so well that district officials pledged to build their own program.
A GoFundMe drive organized by people involved in the Brighton program raised more than $100,000, Stublensky said.
Oxford has seven therapy dogs — two at the high school, one at the middle school and the others floating among the elementary schools. The district expects to add five more by the end of the school year.
Volunteer host families go through an application process and at least eight months of training, said Katelyn Malburg, middle school counselor and the district’s lead dog handler.
A number of community partners offer financial assistance, including Parker Veterinary, which provides complimentary care for all of the district’s dogs.
Research shows many benefits
for children and adults who interact with therapy dogs, including increased self-esteem, lower absenteeism and better relationshipbuilding skills.
Students can confide in a dog without fear of the reaction they might get from a peer, Malburg said.
“The dog isn’t going to judge them no matter what they might tell them,” she said.
The dogs have schedules, which vary depending on the building. At the high school and middle school, for example, they greet students upon arrival and make visits to classrooms throughout the day.
“It’s like they light up the room,” said senior Caylee Beebe. “They put their heads right down on your desk.”
Several other Oakland County school districts also have therapy dogs, including Huron Valley and Walled Lake.