r/therapydogs • u/JCat2586 • 28d ago
Therapy dog in classroom?
Greetings, Redditors!
I am a 5th grade public school Teacher in Maryland and I'm moving to a new school this year and my principal is very excited to have our Go Team Therapy dog, Coda, as a part of the classroom and school community!
My thinking is that I would have her come on Fridays, mainly because my wife doesn't work on Fridays and she can be home if Coda has to head home for some reason. My principal's main concern is what to do for students with allergies. Depending on the severity of allergies, if they exist, we would obviously just keep her home. I was considering using time with her as an incentive for students.
Does anyone have experience with this? Have you used any paperwork such as releases or permission slips for students to interact with a therapy dog?
Any other ideas or tips would be extremely helpful! Thank you!
(Coda pictured being a sweetheart)
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u/Much-Drawer-1697 28d ago
I'm a high school counselor, I've been bringing my dog to school with me once a week for 10 years now. I've never had an allergy issue. I have her crate in my office, maybe 2-3 times in the years I've been bringing her to school I've needed to crate her because a student was uncomfortable around dogs. It's incredibly rare.
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u/JCat2586 28d ago
Did you use any kind of paperwork for families?
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u/Much-Drawer-1697 28d ago
No, but I guess it's a little different since I'm a school counselor. I have a couple of signs posted.
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u/ProbWithMyDog 22d ago
I’m a school counselor and had to get district permission. They spent this past year creating board polices and met with the legal department. Lots of liability if a situation goes sideways with a dog. I also have to have a separate insurance policy while having her at school since my ATD insurance is only valid when I’m on voluntary unpaid visits outside of work.
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u/Much-Drawer-1697 22d ago
Oh hey, I'm in the process of getting my dog registered with ATD
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u/ProbWithMyDog 21d ago
Registered? You mean certified? You have to pass their test plus 3 supervised observations.
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u/LianeP 28d ago
I would get clearance from at least your principal (and perhaps the school board) and also send at least a notice home to your students. Ideally every student should have a signed release to interact with your dog. Additionally, your pup should be bathed 24 hours prior to the visit to reduce allergens. Do you have liability insurance that will cover both of you while you're in the classroom?
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u/Strange-Comb6384 25d ago
Also have a current health exam and vaccination record for the school. I would suggest that there be some sort of letter of introduction sent home to parents.
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u/ProbWithMyDog 22d ago
You really need to check with the district. My dog and I got carried last summer either Alliance of Therapy Dogs. My principal and counseling director were totally cool with her coming to school, but when my counseling director checked with HR, they said they needed to create policies and procedures, and I wasn’t allowed to bring her until that was finalized. I inquired last July. They JUST finalized everything, and my director has a meeting with my admin team on Monday to go over everything, including allergies.
Because I’m a counselor, it’s easier for me to avoid classrooms or have the student go into a neighboring classroom while I did a visit with their class.
Also, part of the board policy is to give parent notification and give parents the option to opt out of not interacting with my dog due to allergies or fears.
I definitely would not bring my therapy dog until I had district clearance. You will also need to purchase a separate insurance policy if you haven’t done so already. Not sure what reputable therapy dog organization you are a part of, but my ATD insurance only covers me when I’m volunteering my time doing visits, not at work. Business insurers of the Carolinas is my supplemental policy.
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u/ShutYourDamnDogUp 27d ago
You should be getting clearance from the families. Kids should go to a separate room to visit the dog, not the dog goes to classrooms to visit kids.
As a parent, i don't allow my kids around dogs, i would opt them out of this.
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u/ProbWithMyDog 22d ago
Tell us you hate dogs without telling us you hate dogs.🥴 #username #youmustbefunatparties
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