Therapy Dogs De-stress Students Before Finals
By Kathleen Fay, LBHS PTA Student Grants Chairman
Laguna Beach High School students were delighted to have two support-therapy dog teams visit them on campus Tuesday to help them cope with the stress of upcoming final exams. PTA Student Grant winners Clara Becker and Grace Wilson had the idea that kids would feel better if they could pet the animals, enjoy a big dog hug, or just get some comfort and a smile.
Volunteers Elizabeth Thompson and John Davis Vollrath brought their Golden Retrievers “Beau” and “Adobe” to LBHS through the Orange County Society for the Prevention of Cruelty to Animals (OCSPCA) PAWS program (Pets Are Wonderful Support). PAWS is a pet-assisted therapy program with trained dog teams that travel to nursing homes, psychiatric hospitals, hospices, and children’s homes throughout Orange County to help bring joy and encouragement to the disabled, bedridden, and neglected.
PTA arranged for the visit to LBHS in cooperation with the OCSPCA’s education outreach efforts. Students were charmed with the warm encouragement offered by the special dogs.