The school district supports the use of therapy dogs for the general benefit of its students, subject to the conditions of this regulation. Benefits from working or visiting with a therapy dog include reduced stress, improved physical and emotional well being, lower blood pressure, decreased anxiety, improved self-esteem, and normalization of the environment, thereby increasing the likelihood of successful academic achievement by the student. Examples of activities that students may engage in with a therapy dog include petting and/or hugging the dog, speaking to the dog, giving the dog simple commands that the dog is trained to respond to, and reading to the dog.

Animal Assisted Activities and Animal Assisted Interactions are non-goal-driven interactions where the specific content of the visit is spontaneous and is meant to provide motivational, educational, and/or recreational activities that enhance the quality of life.

Animal Assisted Therapy is a goal-driven intervention which is directed and/or delivered by an educational professional who is also a handler for the animal and is meant to improve physical, social, emotional and/or cognitive functioning of an individual.

A therapy dog is a dog that has been individually trained, evaluated and registered with his/her

handler to provide animal assisted activities, animal assisted therapy, and animal assisted interactions within a school. Therapy dogs are not service animals, and do not have the same privileges and responsibilities as service animals.

A handler is an individual school district counselor or therapist who owns a therapy dog and who has been individually trained, evaluated and registered with his/her therapy dog to provide animal assisted activities, animal assisted therapy and animal assisted interactions within a school.

A therapy dog is the personal property of the handler and is not the property of the school district. The handler shall assume full responsibility for the therapy dog’s care, behavior and suitability for interacting with students and others in the school while the therapy dog is on school district property.

Therapy Dog Standards and Procedures

The following requirement must be satisfied before a therapy dog will be allowed in school buildings or on school district property:

1. Only one dog per building (prefer hypo-allergenic and non-shedding).
2. A handler who wishes to bring a therapy dog to school shall submit a completed written request form to the Superintendent or the Superintendent’s designee, for approval.
3. The handler shall submit proof of registration as a therapy doghandler.
4. The handler shall submit proof from a licensed veterinarian that the therapy dog is in good health and has been immunized against diseases common to dogs. Such vaccinations shall be kept current and up to date at all times.
5. The handler must submit a copy of an insurance policy that provides liability coverage for the work of the handler and therapy dog while the two are on school district property.
6. The handler shall bring only a registered therapy dog onto school district property.
7. The handler shall ensure that the therapy dog does not pose a health and safety risk to any student, employee, or other person at school and that the therapy dog is brought to the school district only when properly groomed, bathed, free of illness or injury and of the temperament appropriate for working with children in the schools.
8. The handler shall ensure that the therapy dog wears a collar or harness and a leash no longer than four feet and shall maintain control of the therapy dog at all times that the therapy dog is on school district property.
9. The handler shall be solely responsible for the supervision and humane care of the therapy dog, including any feeding, exercising, and cleaning up after the therapy dog while the therapy dog is in a school building or on school property, shall not leave the therapy dog unsupervised or alone on school property at any time. The school district is not responsible for providing any care, supervision or assistance to the therapy dog.
10. The handler shall remove the therapy dog to a separate area as designated by the school administrator in such instances where any student or school employee who suffers dog allergies or aversions is present in an office, hallway or classroom.
11. The handler shall assume full responsibility and liability for any damage to school property or injury to district staff, students or others in the school caused by the therapy dog.
12. A therapy dog may be excluded from school district property if a school administrator deems such exclusion to be appropriate.