by Karen Dugan Holman, B.S., B.S.E., M.S.
Photos courtesy of Karen Dugan Holman
Who knew picking up a tiny black Labrador puppy from the Muskogee pound would positively impact thousands of people? My family’s intention was to foster this puppy for Lab Rescue OK, Inc. We loaded this tiny furball into the car, wrapped her in a blanket, and she bolted! Right out of the car and back to the shelter building! She had to give one last hug to the worker who had cared for her, and back to the car she ran. This was our first glimpse of this pup’s love for humans.
We named her Maddie and began her cleanup and “get healthy” regimen. Her sweetness filled my family’s hearts, making her a permanent member of our family. It was apparent that this little pup had a mission to share love, empathy, and compassion in a special way.
Maddie completed two years of training and passed a multitude of tests. From the outset, she had a natural gravitation toward people. She seemed to know when a person needed a little extra nudge. We began to visit nursing homes, hospitals, hospice facilities, and libraries. Watching Maddie work was truly magical to me. I loved seeing the human smiles and the joy on her furry face when she did her job well. She had the perfect temperament for therapy work.
The Therapy Dog Program at BAPS
A counselor and principal at Broken Arrow Public Schools approached me regarding incorporating Maddie in an innovative approach to engage our autistic students to complete tasks. We formed a committee. We met weekly, and our committee grew to include board of education members, teachers, and special-education directors. We all believed the program would grow, but as educators, we were very aware that it could fail if built without attention to detail. Students, educators, dogs, and handlers would need clear protocols and expectations. This began our “Minutes with Maddie” program.
Why Have a Therapy Dog Program?
A therapy program is beneficial because in the presence of a therapy dog, students engage in conversations and discussions they might normally ignore. Animal-assisted interventions provide teachable moments and excitement for students and teachers.
Blood pressure, heart rate, and stress-
hormone production decrease in the presence of a therapy animal. Healing time, physically and emotionally, is faster when patients are exposed to animal-assisted interventions.
There is statistically significant research regarding the presence of therapy dogs and academic improvement. Social and emotional skills develop a direct connection to student academic learning. There is a connection between academic achievement and lifelong health.
A direct link exists between animal abuse and human abuse. We want the students to connect with our dogs and learn proper treatment of all animals through our example.
Imperative Details
The committee developed a “Let’s start here” list: The application process was to be approved by Broken Arrow Public Schools. Requirements for dogs and handlers included vaccinations, training, licensing, insurance, and background checks. Procedures and policies were to be developed. A code of ethics for members would also be developed.
Each Tiger Tails therapy dog must be licensed through one of the national organizations for therapy dogs (Alliance of Therapy Dogs, Therapy Dogs International, or Pet Partners) or locally through Tulsa Dog Training Club’s Paw Pals program. This ensures that each dog is up to date on vaccines and that handlers have met training requirements, are insured, and have completed a background check. Volunteers are responsible for keeping their annual organization membership up to date and submitting their application for approval by Broken Arrow Public Schools.
On each BAPS Tiger Tails visit, the handler must wear an ID, and dogs will wear Tiger Tails bandannas. No dogs are allowed on any Broken Arrow campus that have not been cleared through the district and approved for our team.
We are diligent to observe one another and report any problems that might arise. No dog is ever to be separated from its handler. We have 18 volunteers committed to sharing love and compassion with all Broken Arrow schools.
One of Many Success Stories
This is an example of a Tiger Tails success story. Maddie entered my classroom, where a student was asleep at his table. He slept in all his classes every day. There was no evidence of a medical or psychological condition. The school and parents were very frustrated. Then came Maddie. The student was never interested in her, but weekly, Maddie would inevitably go to him, sit, and lay her head on his lap until he awakened.
I mentioned to him that if he could stay awake in all his classes each day, he could put a marble in a jar and earn “Minutes with Maddie.” He could walk with me throughout the building visiting other students, and while in my class, he could work on his science with Maddie by his side.
The human-animal bond grew stronger. A shelter dog made quite the impact on this young man. No more sleeping in class. His behavior and grades improved.
Tiger Tails Thursdays
At Broken Arrow High School, Thursday is Tiger Tails Thursday. No matter when the students and staff members interact with the dogs, the smiles abound. The comment we hear most is, “We love Thursdays! It is our favorite day of the week!” We hand out trading cards of our dogs, and students enjoy collecting them.
By example and teachable moments, we want students to gain knowledge of pet ownership, appropriate treatment of all animals, and how we are all connected. Compassion, empathy, and kindness help connect us all. We are not merely inhabitants of this world but designated stewards. Humanity has a responsibility to act as guardians of our animals.
Tiger Tails allows students to experience the human-animal bond, which is a mutually beneficial and dynamic relationship between animals and people. This bond benefits mental, physical, and social health of people and animals.
As for Maddie, she was retired at age 15 when the deteriorating strength in her back legs made maneuvering our large campus difficult. She gave us two more years of love. Brownie, another rescue pup, and I now walk these halls sharing love and joy, one tail wag and kiss at a time!
Happy Tails, Karen
Three Oaks Animal Behavior Counseling LLC
[email protected]
