Recently, studies have shown that support dogs can help students develop various skills, and promote their mental health, too. It’s no surprise then, that animal advocates want to link students with these dogs. As a result, one group has made an “online playbook” to help teachers start these programs in their own schools.
North Shore Animal League America, based out of Port Washington, New York, built the Mutt-i-grees Curriculum to “help educators support mental health through social-emotional learning and humane education,” reports The Record Delta.
A grant from the Robert H. Spitz Foundation – based out of Scranton, Pennsylvania – helped fund the program. The foundation has supported North Shore’s mission for years to “Rescue, Nurture, Adopt, and Educate.”
How the Grant Will Expand Access To Support Dogs
With the extra funding, North Shore was able to create a second Mutt-i-grees program. Building on the group’s work, this introductory course exposes educators to “best practices and protocols for the School Dog Program[,]which integrates rescue dogs into the daily school routines”.
It’s worth noting that Yale University’s School of the 21st Century helped create the program. By bridging the gap between humane education and social-emotional learning, the program helps grow students’ kindness and empathy. Since its beginning, over 5,000 educational settings across North America and Europe have used the program to allow support dogs to help students.
Jayne Vitale, North Shore’s Director of Education and Youth Programs said, “…We are excited to provide content on the School Dog Program in such an accessible format. Routine webinars with various subject experts, reading sessions for authors to read their books to students and student-led rescue discussions were also supported by the grant. We appreciate that the Robert H. Spitz Foundation shares our vision to expand humane education”.
